Roads Department: Major upgrades to Tusheti access route well underway

The Roads Department of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Georgia is actively executing a large-scale project to upgrade traffic conditions on the 72-kilometre Pshaveli–Abano–Omalo road.

As part of the project, works are already underway along a 49.18-kilometre section, representing a major overhaul of the sole vehicular route connecting Tusheti to the rest of the country.

The project aims to significantly enhance safety and capacity along one of Georgia’s most challenging high-altitude mountain passes. The upgrades will improve security, reliability, and travel comfort on the route to Tusheti, making transit substantially easier for local residents and visitors alike.

The scope of works for the Pshaveli–Abano–Omalo road includes restoring the road profile, installing culverts, drainage systems, and engineering structures, updating traffic control equipment, widening the road carriage where feasible, and fitting cable barriers for enhanced safety.

The project is divided into eight lots. Contracts have already been signed for five sections, covering the rehabilitation of 49.18 kilometres at a total cost exceeding 73.7 million GEL.

The initial 22.5 kilometres will be paved with asphalt, while the remaining stretches will retain an unpaved gravel surface due to the extreme terrain. However, all damaged sections will be fully restored, alongside structural improvements to the road’s geometry and safety parameters.

Ongoing site works include subgrade formation, retaining wall construction, roadbed preparation, and hillside excavation for road widening.

The Pshaveli–Abano–Omalo road is the only vehicular route leading to Tusheti. Beginning in the village of Pshaveli in the Telavi Municipality, it crosses the Abano Pass before reaching Omalo. Constructed in the 1960s and 1970s, the road traverses the Abano Pass at an elevation of 2,950 metres above sea level. Due to severe topographical and climatic conditions, the route is navigable for only about 4 to 5 months a year, strictly limiting the operational window for roadworks.

Phased completion of the Pshaveli–Abano–Omalo road upgrade project is scheduled across 2026–2027.