New highway promotes safety in eastern Georgia

A new section of highway connecting the eastern part of the country to the west has opened today.

The five kilometre newly constructed road opened on the Ruisi-Agara section of the main highway, in eastern Georgia.

The road construction project would offer immense benefits to road users once the full 19km construction of the Ruisi-Agara highway was completed. Work on a section of central highway between Ruisi and Agara started in 2012.

The project aimed to construct two-level crossings on the road, where three viaducts and five bridges will be built.

Officials said completing the road works along the Ruisi-Agara section of the highway would improve and modernise the road network, improve traffic flow and increase safety for road users.

World Bank financed the 70 million GEL project. More than 500 people were employed on the road construction. Of this, 70 percent were locals and lived in nearby villages.

Construction work is continuing 24 hours a day on the remaining stretches of the Ruisi-Agara section of the E60 highway. Work is expected to be completed in 2015.

Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Davit Shavliashvili, chairman of the Department of Roads Vazha Panchulidze, World Bank regional director and the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Georgia Yue Bin opened the new road today.