Construction of the Rikoti Highway Completed

Construction of the highway across the Rikoti Pass has been completed, and from midday on December 30, traffic will be fully opened on the new 52-km, four-lane Rikoti Expressway.

The Rikoti Highway is 52 km long and comprises 51 tunnels and 97 bridges. The longest tunnel is 1.8 km in length, while the longest bridge extends for 1.362 km.

The new highway is fully equipped with a modern lighting system and complies with international road safety standards. The opening of the road reduces the travel distance by 8 km and cuts travel time by half.

With the completion of the new Rikoti road, from December 30, vehicles will be able to travel on a continuous four-lane expressway from Tbilisi to Samtredia, significantly improving both domestic and transit traffic across the country.

Construction of the four-lane highway across the Rikoti Pass began in 2019 and was implemented in four sections. The road was opened to traffic in stages, with the first 2-km section becoming operational in 2020.

The new Rikoti Highway bypasses all settlements along the route, including the city of Zestafoni, reducing traffic flows through populated areas and improving road safety.

As part of the project, dedicated commercial areas for local entrepreneurs have been arranged on both sides of the new road near the village of Shrosha, contributing to the development of the local economy.

The Rikoti Highway is an important section of the East–West International Road Corridor (E60) and one of the key infrastructure projects within Georgia’s transport network.

The project was co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the World Bank (WB), and the State Budget of Georgia. The total cost of design and construction works amounts to approximately GEL 2.6 billion.