7.6-Kilometer Tunnel to Connect Batumi to Sarpi: New Highway to Turkey Planned

Georgia is set to connect with Turkey via a new highway. The existing coastal road will be replaced by a new 11.4-kilometer asphalt concrete road, which will link up with the nearly completed Batumi bypass through a new bridge over the Chorokhi River.

A significant portion of the new road, approximately 67% of its total length, will run through a tunnel, dramatically shortening the current coastal route and increasing travel speed.

The environmental impact assessment for the Batumi-Sarpi road project is currently under review, after which an international tender for the project is expected to be announced.

According to the scoping report, the project road will be 11.4 kilometers long. The project includes the construction of a junction, three bridges, and a two-lane tunnel. Additionally, expansion work is planned for the final section of the road in the village of Sarpi.

The project corridor begins on the right bank of the Chorokhi River with a junction, followed by a bridge crossing over the river. After the bridge, the road will extend through a 7.6-kilometer tunnel, passing through the villages of Charnali and Akhalsofeli. The road will then continue toward Sarpi, where it will join the existing E70 international highway via another bridge. The road's carriageway will be expanded up to the Georgia-Turkey border.

Meanwhile, the long-delayed 14-kilometer Batumi bypass road is expected to open this year.