What was Count Sergei Witte's pet project intended to improve transportation across Russia?

Count Sergei Witte, who served as the Prime Minister of Russia and played a crucial role in modernizing the Russian economy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, championed the creation of the Trans-Siberian Railway as a key project to improve transportation across Russia. This extensive railway line was designed to connect the western parts of Russia with its eastern territories, facilitating trade, commerce, and the movement of people across vast distances.

The project was pivotal not just for economic reasons but also for strategic military and political considerations, enabling quicker troop movements and better resource distribution throughout the empire. Constructed starting in the 1890s, the Trans-Siberian Railway came to symbolize Russia's modernization efforts under Witte’s influence, representing a major technological achievement that enhanced connectivity across the country.

In contrast, the other options refer to transportation initiatives that were either less significant or not directly linked to Witte's economic policies and modernization strategies. The Volga Canal System, Ural Mountain Route, and Kazan Express did not hold the same level of ambition or impact on the national infrastructure as the Trans-Siberian Railway, which remains one of the largest and most impressive rail systems in the world to this day.