The Government of Kosovo has selected Bechtel and joint-venture partner Enka to build a new 37-mile motorway linking its capital city, Pristina, to Macedonia.

The contract was awarded following a competitive, international tender process.

Known as Route 6, the new motorway will link Kosovo with the surrounding region and will be the country’s second motorway.

The country’s first motorway, known as Route 7, stretches from Morina on the Albanian border to the north of Pristina. It was built by the Bechtel-Enka team and delivered a year ahead of schedule in November 2013.

"Improving our transport links is crucial to developing new and expanded businesses and will spur long-term economic growth in Kosovo."

Construction of the new motorway will begin immediately and is expected to be completed over a period of four years.

The Bechtel-Enka team has trained more than 10,000 workers on the Route 7 motorway project and plans to continue hiring local workforce and suppliers to deliver the Route 6 project.

Kosovo’s Minister of Infrastructure Fehmi Mujot said: "This motorway will create a second major transport artery through Kosovo, which will connect us to Macedonia and help Kosovo become a crossroads for traffic from ports in Greece and Albania.

"Improving our transport links is crucial to developing new and expanded businesses and will spur long-term economic growth in Kosovo."

Bechtel and joint-venture partner Enka have successfully delivered a number of major infrastructure projects in the region, including motorways in Albania, Croatia, and Turkey.

They have completed more than 17,000 miles of highways and roads and 25 major bridge projects.