S-6 (Georgia)

S6
S6
საერთაშორისო 6
Ponichala–Marneuli–Guguti
Route information
	Part of
Length	98 km (61 mi)
Major junctions
North end	Ponichala (Tbilisi) ()
	Sh31 to Tsalka; Sh33 to Tsalka; S7 to Sadakhlo ; Sh163 to Algeti; Sh68 to Dmanisi
South end	Armenian border (Guguti); ()
Location
	Georgia
Municipalities	Tbilisi, Gardabani, Tetritskaro, Marneuli, Bolnisi, Dmanisi
Highway system
	Roads in Georgia; International Routes; National Routes;

The S-6 route (Georgian: საერთაშორისო მნიშვნელობის გზა ს-6, Saertashoriso mnishvnelobis gza S-6, road of international importance S-6), also known as Ponichala–Marneuli–Guguti (Armenian border), is a 98 kilometers (61 mi) long "road of international importance" within the Georgian road network.^[1] The two-lane highway branches off the S-4 in Ponichala in Tbilisi and runs via Marneuli and Bolnisi to the border with Armenia near Guguti.

The highway is entirely part of the European E117, while the Ponichala-Marneuli section is also part of the Asian Asian AH81. Furthermore, while starting in the Tbilisi capital region, the road is mostly located in Kvemo Kartli region. After the Georgian-Armenian border the highway continues as M3 to Vanadzor and Ashtarak, northwest of Yerevan.

Route description

Direction signs near Kvemo Teleti

S-6 near Bolnisi

Guguti checkpoint at Armenian border

The S-6 highway branches off the S-4 highway in Ponichala at the south side of Tbilisi. The road has four lanes with a median in the first 4 kilometers (2.5 mi). Upon entering the Kvemo Kartli region the road narrows to a two-lane highway. Until the regional capital Marneuli the road passes a few villages, while at Koda the important Sh31 regional highway branches off to Tsalka and Ninotsminda.

The centre of Marneuli is an important crossroads. The S-7 highway to Armenia begins at the central roundabout in town. This is the most popular road from Tbilisi to Yerevan. The S-6 continues to Bolnisi and passes through a string of villages. After Bolnisi the road turns south towards Armenia and passes a few important historic sites in Georgian history.

History

From the early 1980s to 1996 the current S-6 route was referred to as A304 within the Soviet road network, which extended to Gyumri via Tashir in the Armenian SSR. In Marneuli the A304 connected with the A310 highway (the current S-7). Prior to the 1980s the route was one of the few Soviet roads to have a number, Soviet highway 16, which ran from Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) via Tbilisi to Gyumri (Leninakan).

In 1996 the current Georgian classification system was adopted and the S-category "roads of international importance" was introduced as its highest class. The Georgian section of the A304 was renumbered as "S-6 Ponichala–Marneuli–Guguti (Armenian border)".^[2] The Armenian section of the A304 have since become part of the H31 and M1). In 2020 the 13 kilometers (8.1 mi) between Saparlo and Guguti (Armenian border) was renovated, including the border checkpoint.^[3]

Intersections

The entire S6 route overlaps with E117.

Region	Municipality	km	mi		Destinations	Route	Notes
City of Tbilisi		0	0.0		Tbilisi Rustavi / Red Bridge ()	ს 4 ( E 117)
		0	0.0		Tbilisi Rustavi / Red Bridge ()	ს 4 ( AH81)	North end AH81 overlap
		4	2.5	Tbilisi city limits
Kvemo Kartli	Tetritsqaro	18	11		Tsalka	შ 31
	Marneuli	25	16	Marneuli town limits
		28	17		Tsalka Sadakhlo / Armenia Algeti	შ 33
						ს 7 ( E 001 / AH81)	South end AH81 overlap
						შ 163
		31	19	Marneuli town limits
	Bolnisi	36	22		Kolagiri fortress	შ 156
		37	23	Crosses Khrami River (120 m)
		61	38		Dzveli Kveshi	შ 155
		62	39	Crosses Geta River (70 m)
		70	43	Passes Sakdrisi gold mine and archeological site
	Dmanisi	74	46		Vardisubani / Dmanisi	შ 68
		77	48	Crosses Mashavera River
		78	48	Passes Dmanisi historic and archeological site
		98	61	Armenian border checkpoint. Road continues as ( E 117) to Vanadzor and Ashtarak
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus