26. CAUCASIAN ROAD SECTOR FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD LINK BETWEEN BAKU , TBILISI AND YEREVAN

Geographic Focus: Signatory States to the TRACECA Multi-Lateral Agreement (MLA)

Project Budget : EURO 2,000,000

Contractor : KOCKS

Implementation timetable : 12 months

Background and Objectives. Since the independence of the Caucasian Republics from the former Soviet-Union, their national economies have declined and their road rehabilitation and maintenance has been neglected.

At the same time, road traffic has increased dramatically (+40% per year during the last three years). Therefore, extensive road rehabilitation and improvement programs are required throughout the region. Several International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and other donors are planning major investments in road works for the three Trans-Caucasian Republics. TRACECA has previously provided road maintenance management systems, support for institutional reform, economic analysis and technical studies, to facilitate the mobilization of external investment.

Against this background, the project aims to sustain the existing and planned World Bank programs for financing and co-financing with other IFI(s) and investors, the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the road connection between the three capitals of the Trans-Caucasian Republics : Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan.

Key Issues. For the three road sections : Azerbaijan : Baku / Georgian border ( Red bridge ), Georgia : Red Bridge / Tbilisi / Armenian border ( Sadakhlo-Ayrum ), Armenia : Yerevan / Georgian border ( Ayrum-Sadakhlo ) the study will carry out an investigation and design of upgrading and appropriate pavement strengthening, improvement and rehabilitation works, needed to extend the useful life of the road for the most economic number of years, taking the existing and forecasted traffic loads into account.

The consultant will perform : ·

• preliminary identification of the priority sections and the degree of improvement appropriate to the different road sub-sections, with respect to the present level of service, traffic volumes, and safety ; ·
• economic and technical studies for the remedial measures to be taken and the optimal allocation the planned investments on the road links ; ·
• detailed field investigations of soils and materials, of the residual strength of the pavements, of road geometry etc. ; · surveys of structures including bridges, culverts, retaining walls, erosion protection works etc. ; ·
• traffic surveys, including traffic counts at several locations and origin-destination surveys; ·
• detailed engineering design of proposed upgrading, rehabilitation, reinforcement, realignments in accordance with the preliminary technical and economic indications for the allocation of the loan funds ; ·
• preparation of drawings, bills of quantities and specifications, for the eventual execution of the works by international competitive bidding ; ·
• cost estimates ; ·
• environmental impact assessment ; ·
• division of the proposed works into appropriate contractual packages and preparation of pre-qualification and bidding documents, in conformity with the procurement procedures of the financial instutions involved (led by the World Bank).

Latest updated version February 2000