The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided a $278m loan to Georgia for the construction and rehabilitation of 30km of main and secondary roads on the Shorapani–Argveta section of the East-West Highway.

The East-West Highway is Georgia’s main trade and transport network and part of Corridor 2 of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Programme.

The highway is accessed by more than 13,000 vehicles a day and accounts for 30% of Georgia’s international road network.

The loan will be used to build 14.7km of dual two-lane carriageway between Shorapani and Argveta. This road is expected to help vehicles navigate the area’s mountainous terrain and river crossings.

Around 15km of secondary roads connected to the East-West Highway will also be rehabilitated, along with the construction of an accessible rest stop.

The work will also include different measures to increase road safety. A total of 38 portable scales and one weigh-in-motion site will be incorporated to reduce damage caused by overloaded trucks.

ADB expects the project to be completed by 2025.

ADB Central and West Asia senior transport specialist Valerie Lisack said: “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.

“This project supports the government’s ongoing commitment to improving its infrastructure, particularly roads and highways, to fast-track the country’s development.”

Earlier this month, ADB signed an agreement to provide a $150m loan to the Government of Sri Lanka to upgrade the road network in the country.

ADB also recently announced a $490m loan to improve 1,600km of state highways and major district roads in Madhya Pradesh, India.