Construction on Stretch of Georgia’s Rikoti Pass Highway Begins

TBILISI – Construction on a 52-kilometer, USD 40 million (93 million GEL) stretch of the Rikoti Pass highway began Friday, according to the head of Georgia’s Road Department Giorgi Seturidze.

The mountain highway lies in the southern portion of the Likhi Range, a spur of the Greater Caucasus, which divides Georgia into its western and eastern parts. Also known as Tbilisi-Kutaisi Highway, it connects Georgia’s two main cities.

“This is a top priority for us. There are no other similar projects like this in Europe today,” Seturidze said.

Nearly 150 kilometers of the highway has already built. Another 100 kilometers are slated to be built in the coming years, with plans to link the road to Georgia’s Black Sea ports of Poti and Anaklia.

Photo: Alexandre Suladze / panoramio.com