The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $250 million loan for the construction of a strategically important bypass road in Tbilisi. The project aims to improve transport connectivity, reduce congestion on the capital’s road network, and reinforce Georgia’s role as a regional transport hub. According to the ADB, the project involves the construction of an 18.9-kilometer four-lane section of the Tbilisi bypass road, which will become a key part of the East–West highway.
Diverting traffic flows away from the capital will help reduce congestion on Tbilisi’s roads and speed up the transport of freight and passengers. ADB financing will be directed toward the construction of two sections of the bypass road:
- Lot 4: Tbilisi Airport – Lochini;
- Lot 5: Lochini – Rustavi.
The project also provides for the construction and modernization of access and service roads.
“Georgia’s location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia gives the country significant potential to become a regional transport hub. The Tbilisi bypass road will help realize this potential by reducing road congestion and improving freight efficiency. Through such projects, we are delivering on our country partnership strategy with Georgia, aimed at boosting its transport connectivity and competitiveness,” said ADB Country Director for Georgia Lesley Bearman Lahm.
According to the bank, the new road will reduce travel times for both local and transit traffic, lower vehicle operating costs, and decrease harmful emissions. The project is expected to enhance the reliability of freight transport, exports, and the tourism industry, as well as reduce fatalities and serious injuries from road traffic accidents.
The ADB noted that the project will improve the efficiency of road transport along Corridor 2 of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) program, which connects Central Asia with Europe, helping attract investment and further integrate Georgia into regional and global markets.
The bank also reported that it assisted the government of Georgia in preparing technical, economic, financial, environmental, and social assessments for the project.
The loan complements more than $2.3 billion that the ADB has already invested in Georgia’s road infrastructure development, including the construction of sections of the East–West highway, the Kobuleti and Batumi bypasses, the Kvesheti–Kobi highway, and the Batumi–Sarpi road.
The ADB has been partnering with Georgia since 2007 and is one of the country’s largest multilateral development partners. Over this period, the bank has provided Georgia with nearly $6 billion in loans, grants, and technical assistance.
