Publish Date : 27-Nov-2019
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $278 million loan (in euro equivalent) to construct and rehabilitate about 30 kilometers (km) of main and secondary roads between the towns of Shorapani and Argveta on Georgias EastWest Highway, one of the countrys main trade and transport networks.
The EastWest Highway, which is part of Corridor 2 of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program, is a lifeline for Georgias economy. It represents 30% of the countrys international road network carrying more than 60% of national foreign trade and serving over 13,000 vehicles daily. The road network is integral to Georgias objective of becoming a regional transport and logistics hub for trade and commerce between Europe, Central Asia, and East Asia, and a popular tourism destination.
A reliable road network is essential to make sure that Georgia benefits economically from its unique location at the crossroads of transit routes linking Europe and Asia, said ADB Senior Transport Specialist for Central and West Asia Ms. Valerie Lisack. This project supports the governments ongoing commitment to improve its infrastructure, particularly roads and highways, to fast track the countrys development.
The Government of Georgia has made road improvement a priority in its 20182021 action plan, allocating about 72% of the total budget for the countrys infrastructure development. Upgrading core regional roads is critical for international economic integration and delivers benefits to rural areas. Road safety is also a priority. Last year, Georgias road fatality rate of 12.3 deaths per 100,000 people far exceeded rates in developed countries.
ADBs EastWest Highway (ShorapaniArgveta Section) Improvement Project will help construct 14.7 km of access-controlled, dual two-lane carriagewaypartly on a new alignmentbetween Shorapani and Argveta. This will make it easier for vehicles to traverse the mountainous terrain, ravines, and river crossings in the area. It will also rehabilitate about 15 km of secondary roads connected to the EastWest Highway network, and build a rest stop with separate facilities for women, and features intended for the ease of use of older people, children, and people with disabilities. Roadside stalls will be built, 50% of which will be leased to businesses run by women.
To increase road safety along the EastWest Highway, the project will incorporate safety features into the design and conduct a road safety awareness campaign for roadside villages and schools. To prevent damage to the road networks from overloaded or overweight trucks and other vehicles, 38 portable scales and one weigh-in-motion site will be implemented. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
ADB has supported Georgia since 2007 and is one of the countrys largest multilateral development partners. Sovereign and nonsovereign loans to Georgia to date total about $2.8 billion.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members49 from the region.
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