S-5 (Georgia)

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S5

საერთაშორისო 5
Tbilisi-Bakurtsikhe-Lagodekhi
Route information
Length160 km[1] (99 mi)
Existed1996–present
Major junctions
West endTbilisi
Major intersectionsExit Tbilisi Airport

S9-GE.svg (Tabliczka E60.svgTabliczka AH5.svgTabliczka AH81.svg)
SH38-GE.svg Sh38 Telavi via Gombori
SH40-GE.svg Sh40 Sighnaghi
SH42-GE.svg Sh42 Gurjaani / Telavi
SH40-GE.svg Sh40 Sighnaghi
SH39-GE.svg Sh39 Dedoplistskaro

SH43-GE.svg Sh43 Kvareli / Akhmeta
East endAzerbaijan border (Lagodekhi)
AzerbaijanAZ-M5.svg
Location
Georgia
MunicipalitiesTbilisi, Gardabani, Sagarejo, Gurjaani, Sighnaghi, Lagodekhi
Highway system
  • Roads in Georgia

The S-5 route (Georgian: საერთაშორისო მნიშვნელობის გზა ს-5, Saertashoriso mnishvnelobis gza S-5, road of international importance), also known as Tbilisi-Bakurtsikhe-Lagodekhi (Azerbaijan border) or Kakheti Highway, is a 160 kilometers (99 mi) long "road of international importance" within the Georgian road network.[1] The highway runs from Tbilisi via Sagarejo and Bakurtsikhe to the border with Azerbaijan near Lagodekhi.

Referring to its main location, the Kakheti region, the road is nicknamed "Kakheti Highway". While the segment in the capital region, until the S9 Tbilisi Bypass intersection, has been built as a six-lane city express road, the rest of the highway is a two-lane highway which passes through towns and villages. After the Georgian-Azerbaijan border the highway continues as M5 to Zagatala and Yevlakh.

Route description

S-5 across the Iori Plateau near Vaziani
S-5 sign in Tbilisi city

The reference point for the mileage of roads leaving Tbilisi, such as the S5 highway, is Freedom Square according to the Georgian "Law on motor roads".[2] But that does not mean Freedom Square is the actual starting point of the highway. In the case of the S5 the actual starting point is George W. Bush Street, East of the city centre and about 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) from Freedom Square.

The main speed limit is 90 km/h (56 mph) with the exception of passage through towns and villages (60 km/h (37 mph), may vary locally) and within the Tbilisi city. With the exception of the Tbilisi part, the highway is a two lane road throughout and doesn't have major differences in altitude: it hovers around 450–600 m (1,480–1,970 ft) above sea level, reaches its lowest point of 200 m (660 ft) asl in the Alazani Valley and its highest point of 840 m (2,760 ft) asl near Sagarejo.

Tbilisi - Sagarejo

George W. Bush Street, Tbilisi
Winding through Kakheti villages
Terminus of S-5

The Kakheti Highway starts in George W Bush Street the "Kakheti Highway" as a 2x3 lane city express road, with parallel lanes, until the airport exit and just before the Tbilisi Lilo area. In 2020 the section until the Tbilisi Airport has been completely rehabilitated.[3] Through Lilo the road is a 2x2 lane city road after which the road reduces to a two lane highway until its terminus. From this point a 35 km 2x2 motorway to Sagarejo has been planned, with construction works being anticipated.[4] Heading East the S5 highway runs through the dry East Georgian lands passing a few villages and some hills along the way. Just East of Vaziani the Sh38 state route offers an alternative to north Kakheti and Alazani valley via the 1,640 m (5,380 ft) Gombori Pass. Near Sagarejo the highway skirts along the foot of the Gombori mountain range which extends in southeasterly direction from the Caucasus range and separates the Iori and Alazani river valleys. Sagarejo is the regional centre of this part of Kakheti, and it offers the northern access road to the historic David Gareja monastery complex on the border with Azerbaijan.

Sagarejo - Tsnori

Heading out of Sagarejo the S5 follows the foot of the Gombori mountain range. The Tbilisi - Gurjaani - Telavi railway line which opened in 1915 follows more or less the same route, and crosses the S5 a couple of times (grade separated). Just before passing over the Gombori Range in its southern tip the Sh40 leads to touristic Signagi which is situated on top of the ridge providing splendid views over the Alazani Valley. The S5 meanwhile passes over the lower part of the range at a modest 770 m (2,530 ft) and arrives in Bakurtsikhe. In Bakurtsikhe the S5 turns right running parallel to the Alazani river valley and the flank of the Gombori Range. Left in Bakurtsikhe runs the main thoroughfare of the South side of the Alazani valley, the Sh42 state route to Gurjaani, Telavi and Akhmeta.

Due to the intensive wine production in this region, this side of the Alazani Valley is densely populated with a string of villages and towns crammed next to each other along the Sh42 and S5. Since summer 2021 a new Bypass has been opened between Bakurtsikhe and Gurjaani to improve traffic flow while reducing traffic through the villages.[5] The S5 between Bakurtsikhe and Tsnori will get a similar bypass around the string of villages.[6] For a highway with this status this section of the road is also quite narrow at places.

Tsnori - Lagodekhi

In Tsnori the S5 highway turns northeast across the fertile and green Alazani river valley. The Alazani is the main river in Kakheti and provides the water for the intensive grape and fruit farming in the region. Across the valley the highway passes through a string of villages again, yet less densely populated. At Ninigori the S5 junctions with the regional thoroughfare along the North side of the valley, the Sh43, which leads to Akhmeta via Kvareli. At the foot of the Caucasus Range Lagodekhi is the main town near the border with Azerbaijan. Beyond the border via a narrow bridge across the Matsimis Tskali River the road continues as M-5 through the Zaqatala region, a formerly contested area between the two countries.

History

From the early 1980s to 1996 the current S-5 route was referred to as A302 within the Soviet road network, until the junction west of Lagodekhi. Beyond this point the road was part of the A315 to Zagatala in the Azerbaijan SSR. Prior to the 1980s the route of today's S5 was unnumbered as was the case with most Soviet roads.[7]

In 1996 the current Georgian classification system was adopted and the S-category "roads of international importance" was introduced as its highest class. The "S5 Tbilisi-Bakurtsikhe-Lagodekhi (Azerbaijan border)" replaced the A302 designation with an additional section from Lagodekhi to the Azerbaijan border that replaced the A315 designation in its Georgian section.[8]

Future

In 2021 contractors were signed for a new 35 kilometers (22 mi) motorway section of the S-5 highway, between the Tbilisi Bypass (S-9) and Sagarejo.[4] The project is divided in three lots and will be financed by the state. Chinese and Turkish companies will build two lots of 31 kilometers (19 mi) in total, while a Georgian company will be responsible for the remainder. The redesigned section will bypass villages and towns. In December 2023 the first part, the Vaziani bypass, opened.[9] Due is an upgrade of the Sagarejo-Badiauri section of 17 kilometers (11 mi), for which the World Bank committed to financing.[10]

Georgia S5 Route upgrade project.svg
The S5 "Kakheti highway" will be upgraded to motorway Tbilisi - Sagarejo - Badiauri and a single carriageway bypass Bakurtsikhe - Tsnori.

A 17 kilometers (11 mi) km bypass between Bakurtsikhe and Tsnori has bene under construction to improve traffic flow in the crowded Alazani valley.[6] This section of the S5 in the Alazani Valley passes through a densely built up area through a string of villages and towns. Similarly, the Gurjaani Bypass was opened north of Bakurtikhe in 2021.[5]

Upgrades S5 highway
Lot Section Length Funding Contractor Start construction Opened Remarks
3 Tbilisi Bypass - Vaziani 4.0 km $150m State budget[11] New Road Ltd (GE)[12] April 2022[13][14] 8 Dec 2023[9]
1 Vaziani - Sagarejo[15] 23.8 km China Road and Bridge Corporation (CN)[12]
2 Sagarejo[15] 7.7 km Göçay İnşaat Taahhüt ve Ticaret (TK)[12]
4 Sagarejo - Badiauri 17.0 km €97.7m World Bank Göçay İnşaat Taahhüt ve Ticaret (TK)[16]
Bakurtikhe - Tsnori 16.6 km $30m Asian Development Bank[17] China Road and Bridge Corporation (CN)[18] Q1 2022[19] Budget part of Batumi Bypass project credit[19]
1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Under construction

Intersections

RegionMunicipalitykmmi DestinationsRouteNotes
City of Tbilisi42.5"Kakheti Highway" (S5) begins at George W. Bush Street
74.3ExitMoscow Ave / Javakheti Str
95.6ExitVarketili / Tbilisi Sea
116.8ExitChantladze Street
138.1ExitTbilisi Airport
1811Tbilisi city limits
Continues East as two lane highway.
Crosses Lochini River (180m, region boundary))
Kvemo KartliGardabani1912InterchangeBatumi / Poti
Tsiteli Khidi (Red Bridge) / Rustavi		S9-GE.svg  Tabliczka E60.svgTabliczka AH5.svgTabliczka AH81.svg"Tbilisi Bypass"
2113RoundaboutVaziani
2314Left junctionMartkopiSH160-GE.svgFinland road sign G28.svg Martkopi monastery signposted
2717RoundaboutSioni / Tianeti / TelaviSH38-GE.svgVia Gombori Pass
3421Crosses Iori River (150 m)
KakhetiSagarejo4025Crosses Patardzeuliskhevi River (120 m)
4729Sagarejo town limits
5031Right junctionFinland road sign G28.svg Davit GarejaSH172-GE.svg
5132Sagarejo town limits
6239Crosses Chailuri River (115 m)
Gurjaani9358CrossingSignagi
Melaani		SH40-GE.svg
 		 
 
10263RoundaboutTelaviSH42-GE.svgSince 2021 via Gurjaani Bypass
Signagi11068Right junctionSighnaghiSH40-GE.svg
11672Right junctionSighnaghiSH175-GE.svg
11873Right junctionDedoplistskaroSH39-GE.svg
12880Crosses Alazani River (115 m, municipality boundary)
Lagodekhi15093CrossingAkhmetaSH43-GE.svg
15596Crosses Shromiskhevi River (75 m)
15798Crosses Lagodekhiskhevi River (115 m)
16099Georgia (country) Lagodekhi border checkpoint.
Crosses Matsimis Tskali River (100 m, Georgia - Azerbaijan border)
Azerbaijan Balakan border checkpoint. Road continues as AZ-M5.svg to Zagatala and Yevlakh
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b "2014 List of highways of international and domestic importance" (in Georgian). The Legislative Herald of Georgia. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Law "About motor roads", consolidated version of 15 July 2020" (in Georgian). The Legislative Herald of Georgia. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Rehabilitation of George Bush Street, Kakheti Highway and the patterns adjacent to the Monument – "The Man and The Sun" has been completed". Tbilisi City Hall. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Agreements have been signed for the construction of the Tbilisi-Sagarejo road" (in Georgian). Roads Department of Georgia. 14 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Gurjaani bypass road opens in Kakheti, PM announces construction of 2 bln GEL worth of new roads". Agenda.ge. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Construction of Bakurtsikhe-Tsnori bypass road begins". Roads Department of Georgia. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Road numbering systems - Russia". Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. ^ "On Approval of Indicators and List for Determination of International, Domestic and Local Roads of Georgia (1996)" (in Georgian). The Legislative Herald of Georgia. 16 December 1996. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  9. ^ a b "First section of Kakheti Highway opens, project to be completed in 2024". Agenda.ge. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Kakheti Integrated Mobility Project". Wereldbank. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Road that Cuts Travel Time to Kakheti in Half- Agreements Signed with Chinese and Turkish Companies". Caucasus Business Week. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  12. ^ a b c "Tbilisi-Sagarejo new road" (in Georgian). Roads Department of Georgia. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  13. ^ "Georgian Premier says Kakheti Expressway will shorten travel time". Georgia Online. 2022-04-16. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  14. ^ "Construction of Kakheti highway has started" (in Georgian). Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure. 2022-04-16. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  15. ^ a b "On granting the right of expropriation to the Department of Roads of Georgia, a state sub-agency under the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia for essential public needs" (in Georgian). The Legislative Herald of Georgia. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  16. ^ "A contract was signed for the construction of the 17 km section of Sagarejo-Badiauri" (in Georgian). Roads Department of Georgia. 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
  17. ^ 87.8 million Georgian Lari from the Batumi Bypass project credit
  18. ^ "Bakurtsikhe-Tsnori bypass road" (in Georgian). Roads Department of Georgia. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  19. ^ a b "Georgia: Batumi Bypass Road Project - Project Sheet". Asian Development Bank. Retrieved 27 May 2022.

External links

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