The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $415 million loan to Georgia to build a new highway as part of the Kvesheti–Kobi Road Project, reported agenda.ge.

The 23-kilometer long road will be built between the towns of Kvesheti and Kobi and pass through the mountainous terrain in the country’s northeast. It will provide a safer and faster travel alternative for residents, tourists, and freight trucks that face worsening delays on the current road, especially on the Jvari Pass section. The longest tunnel in Georgia, as well as its most advanced arch bridge spanning the Khadistskali River will be on this highway.

A high-quality road network is essential for the growth and development of Georgia, which is located at the center of transit and trade routes linking Europe and Asia,” said the ADB Director General for Central and West Asia, Werner Liepach. “The new bypass road will greatly improve the North–South Corridor and help enhance trade and regional connectivity, as well as increase the number of visitors in the region, which is home to world-class natural and cultural heritage assets,” he added.

The project is estimated to cost $558.6 million, with a co-financing of $60 million anticipated from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and $83.6 million from the government of Georgia. The construction is expected to begin in 2020.