Georgia's Infrastructure Development: The Bakurtsikhe-Tsnori Bypass Road Set for Launch in 2024
The new Bakurtsikhe-Tsnori bypass road, currently under construction, is slated for completion and commissioning in 2024, revealed Irakli Karseladze, the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia. He made this announcement while on a visit to oversee the ongoing construction works.
According to the minister, the construction activities are progressing at a robust pace. The existing road's primary constraint is that it traverses through six villages, which poses challenges for road safety, thereby inhibiting international shipments.
The forthcoming road, spanning a length of 16.6 kilometers, will circumvent the town of Tsnori and all six villages. "The new thoroughfare is expected to significantly enhance the traffic capacity, adhering to all international road safety norms," stated Karseladze. He further added, "Despite the challenges faced, there has been notable progress in the project development."
Around 77% of artificial structures are already in place, with construction work for all six bridges in progress. The plan is to construct the piers over the summer, thus ensuring that the project meets its 2024 deadline and the road becomes operational.
The Bakurtsikhe-Tsnori bypass road construction project includes building a 16.6 km long, two-lane asphalt-concrete road and six bridges. The present road, characterized by high transit traffic intensity, runs through a populated region. The upcoming road will bypass the town of Tsnori and the six neighboring villages of Bakurtsikhe, Kardenakh, Anag, Vakir, Mashnaar, and Sakobo. Post project completion, vehicles en route Bakurtsikhe-Tsnori won't need to pass through Tsnori or the nearby village.
The bypass will reroute traffic flows from the Tsnori area, which is crucial for ensuring road safety for the local population. The new bypass road, being constructed alongside the Alazni valley, will link the international road from Tbilisi-Bakurtsikhe-Lagodekhi to the Azerbaijan border with the existing domestic road.
The project, carried out with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank, is estimated to cost around 87.8 million GEL.