Traffic on Rikoti Highway to be restored starting today - Roads Department
In its comments, the Department also said delays with reopening the section on Tuesday meant authorities would grant priority to cargo vehicles to pass through the location throughout Wednesday, with light and transport vehicles directed via Gomi-Sachkhere-Chiatura-Zestaponi direction. Photo: Roads Department of Georgia
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The Roads Department of Georgia on Wednesday said traffic for trailers through Rikoti Highway, a major crossing between eastern and western parts of the country, would be reopened starting today, with access for light vehicles allowed from Thursday.
The Pass was closed on Tuesday for all types of vehicles due to a rockfall from a hillside on the kilometre 147 section of the Tbilisi-Senaki-Leselidze Highway, with clearing works continuing throughout the night.
In its comments, the Department also said delays with reopening the section on Tuesday meant authorities would grant priority to cargo vehicles to pass through the location throughout Wednesday, with light and transport vehicles directed via Gomi-Sachkhere-Chiatura-Zestaponi direction.
A special schedule will then be activated on the Pass starting 7am local time on Thursday, allowing light vehicles and passenger transport to cross the section until 7pm between kilometre 114 and kilometre 194 section of the Tbilisi-Senaki-Leselidze road.
Drivers of cargo vehicles will then be allowed to use the road between 9pm on Thursday and 6am on Friday.
The Interior Ministry of Georgia on Tuesday rejected recent media reports on vehicle traffic disruption on the Rikoti Pass section “for several days” as “misinformation”.
Construction of the new Rikoti Highway is set to be completed this year, the Roads Department of Georgia said on Monday while rejecting media reports that suggested the work had been delayed from its original deadline of 2022.
Vehicle traffic on Rikoti Pass, a major crossing between eastern and western parts of Georgia, was restored on Saturday under a “special regime”, with the recommendation of specialists, the Roads Department of Georgia said.
Giorgi Tsereteli, the Chairman of the Roads Department of Georgia, on Friday said Rikoti Pass, a major crossing between eastern and western parts of Georgia, was closed to all types of vehicles due to a risk of a landslide, and added its professionals were working to restore traffic “as soon as possible”.
Heavy rainfall, hail and strong wind between Monday and Wednesday affected municipalities in the central and eastern Georgian regions, causing damage to buildings and floods in residential homes.