Today, a 52-kilometer section of the new high-speed highway through the Rikoti Pass, connecting the western and eastern parts of the country, has been fully opened in Georgia. The road bypasses populated areas, including Zestafoni, which has reduced the route by 8 kilometers and halved travel time.
Construction of the highway began in 2019 and became one of the country's most complex infrastructure projects due to the difficult terrain and heavy traffic on the old road. The new section includes 51 tunnels and 97 bridges: the longest tunnel reaches 1.8 km, and the bridge is almost 1.4 km, ensuring high speed and safety of movement.
The total cost of the project was about 2.6 billion GEL. Funding was implemented with the support of the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, and the state budget of Georgia, which emphasizes the international importance of the new transport route.
