Kazakhstan's highest mountain bridge shown on video
In addition to connecting numerous settlements with the regional center, the highway leads to popular tourist destinations, including the Bukhtarma Reservoir coast, the Katon-Karagay district with its famous Mount Belukha, and the Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi sanatorium. However, one extensive section (from the 56th to the 72nd kilometer) winds through dangerous mountain serpentines. This segment is known as the Osinovsky Pass.
The Osinovsky Pass. Photo by the Internal Policy Department of the Altay district, EKO.
The idea of building a road bypassing the pass had been discussed for years, with implementation beginning in 2017 during Danial Akhmetov's tenure as Akim of the East Kazakhstan region. However, the project was never completed at that time due to bureaucratic red tape regarding the reclassification of forest fund lands.
The project turned into a long-term construction delay. Work resumed in 2023. We previously covered this project in detail.
In addition to laying the new road, workers had to construct a bridge over the small Pikhtovka River to connect the sides of the high-mountain gorge. According to NC KazAvtoZhol JSC, this is the highest mountain structure in Kazakhstan.
But once again, something went wrong.
"After work resumed in 2023, the contractor failed to maintain the necessary construction pace or fulfill contractual obligations. Legal proceedings against two contracting organizations were initiated in May 2025 due to systematic violations of work schedules and risks of failing to meet the facility's commissioning deadlines," the press service of the KazAvtoZhol regional branch reported.
The contract with the previous contractors was terminated, and a new one, OblShygysZhol LLP, was brought on board. This company has already completed another major bridge in East Kazakhstan over the Bukhtarma Reservoir, which is currently the longest in the country.
To expedite the process, a concrete plant was set up directly on-site near the future bridge. The crossing was completed in October.
At a regional Akimat meeting, it was reported that both the Pikhtovka bridge and traffic along the new section were scheduled to open on October 25; however, this long-awaited event did not take place.
Despite this, the bridge is already being used for travel. Workers recently filmed a video of traffic crossing the structure, which surfaced on social media and sparked public discussion.
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Post by Anastasia Mikhailovna Klemeshova (@molniya888)
Users noted that the new section lacks safety railings as well as speed limit signs.
"Someone is bound to 'go over.' How high is it? How far is the drop?" and "The bridge parameters are actually as follows: height above the gorge—up to 45 meters, length—175 meters," users commented under the video.
"It's not just the bridge: there are six kilometers of road before it and six after. Safety must be ensured there too, including railings, as there are steep drops. 'These works are carried out only after the top layer of the road surface is finished. Now that the top layer is laid, we have moved on to drainage gutters, after which safety elements are installed on the roadsides,'" commented Adilet Zhampeisov, Deputy Director of the East Kazakhstan branch of NC KazAvtoZhol JSC.
We previously reported that over the course of eight years, the project has utilized approximately 7.9 billion tenge. An additional 5.3 billion tenge was planned for 2025, bringing the total to over 13 billion. A year ago, key sections of the road had not been handed over.
According to the EKO Akimat and the KazAvtoZhol branch, earthworks were completed in 2025, drainage pipes were laid, and asphalt was being paved on a 12.1-kilometer section.