ArmInfo.The Management Board of the North-South motorway construction investment programme held a meeting chaired by RA Vice-Premier Hambardzum Matevosyan.
The meeting discussed the invitation of tenders for the construction of the Sisian-Kajaran section. Mr Matevosyan stated that the construction of the Sisian-Kajaran section is one of the government's priorities.
"The implementation of the programme will stimulate interest in Armenia as a transit country and ensure the security of Armenia's southern regions, which, in turn, will promote their economic development and improve the living standards," he said.
Under the project a new 60-km-long motorway is to be constructed, with a design speed of 100kmh, with bridges with a total length of 4.7km and tunnels with a total length of 12.5km. The Burgashat tunnel alone will be 8.6km long.
The new motorway will be 58km shorter, with improved traffic safety and comfort.
The construction of the southern section of the North-South motorway is a strategic priority in the context of the latest developments in Armenia's Syunik on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The new motorway will safely connect Armenia's regions bordering on Iran with its central regions. The construction is estimated at $1.5bln, which implies Armenia's active cooperation with its international partners.
The North-South motorway will shorten the distance from the Iranian border to the Georgian border from 556 to 490 kilometers. It will facilitate the access to the Black Sea both for Armenia and for Iran. The project will also ensure access to European states via Armenia (Meghri-Kapan, Goris-Yerevan, Ashtarak- Gyumri-Bavra) and via Georgia. The project was initially to be completed in 2019. The cost had regularly been revised upward. Back in 2009, the Asian Development Bank allocated over $1bln for the motorway construction.
