Kvesheti-Kobi Road Project

The new bypass road will involve the construction of a 9km-long tunnel under Rikoti Pass. Credit: CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE FRANÇAISE EN GÉORGIE.

Kvesheti–Kobi road project is a 23km-long new bypass road, including five tunnels and six bridges. Credit: MINISTRY OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE OF GEORGIA.

The estimated cost of the Kvesheti–Kobi road project is $558.6m. Credit: MINISTRY OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE OF GEORGIA.

Kvesheti-Kobi Road Project involves a 23km bypass that is being built between the Caucasus Mountain towns of Kvesheti and Kobi in north-east Georgia.

The project will be developed by The Roads Department of Georgia under the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure.

The bypass road is the first development under the north-south corridor upgrade programme, part of the Georgian Government’s comprehensive road restoration scheme.

It will be built in two phases, with the first commencing next year. The full project is expected to take seven years to be completed.

Purpose of Kvesheti-Kobi Road Project

The existing 35km stretch connecting Kvesheti with Kobi called for immediate realignment to improve road safety and reduce congestion. It is also prone to snow slides, which cause frequent road closures during winter seasons.

Sections of the old road have no capacity to accommodate two-way traffic. Frequent delays and accidents make the current road inadequate to handle its daily traffic of 4,000 vehicles.

Kvesheti-Kobi Road Project details

Part of the north-south corridor, the Kvesheti-Kobi road forms a vital component of the Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Larsi international road linking Georgia with Russia.

The new Kvesheti-Kobi bypass will include five tunnels with a total length of 10.5km and six bridges stretching up to 1.6km.

An additional climbing lane will be constructed for heavy goods vehicles. The entire bypass road will have mandatory safety features and allow motorists to travel at maximum speeds of 80km/h.

The project involves the construction of a concrete arch bridge with three lanes over the Khadistskali River. The bridge will be 426m-long and 164m-high. An emergency gallery, culverts and other drainage structures will also be built.

The Kvesheti-Kobi road project will be carried out in two lots. Lot one will cover the 10km-long section from Tskere to Kobi, while lot two will be a 12.7km-long section between Kvesheti and Tskere. The Kvesheti-Kobi road will include 2.5km of tunnels and 1.5km of bridges.

Lot one and two will be completed in 48 months and 36 months respectively.

Improvements to 5km of local roads connecting to the new bypass will also be made.

Kvesheti-Kobi tunnel section details

The longest tunnel section of the Kvesheti-Kobi road project will be 9km, with two lanes and a diameter of 15m. When operational this will become the longest tunnel in Georgia.

It will run under the Rikoti Pass, starting at the village of Tskeresi and terminating at the village of Kob.

A 9.06km-long emergency gallery will be built parallel to the tunnel. This will be linked to the main tunnel through 17 connections.

Speed monitoring systems and safety lighting will be installed inside the tunnel.

Financing

The project’s estimated cost is $558.6m. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) funded $60m, while the Georgian Government provided $83.6m.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) authorised a $415m loan to Georgia for Kvesheti-Kobi road construction in August 2019.

Benefits of Kvesheti-Kobi Road Project

The new bypass road is intended to improve connectivity and safety, making the corridor a vital route for Georgia, Armenia and regional trading partners. It will result in the shortest link connecting Central Asia with Europe and East Asia.

Travel time on the Kvesheti-Kobi section will be reduced from one hour to 20 minutes. Employment will be created for more than 600 people during the construction phase.