Heavy traffic has been a daily issue in Batumi for many years. Trucks heading from Türkiye to Georgia drove straight through the city center, causing gridlock and long delays for drivers and the local community. 

To ease the pressure, Georgia built the Batumi Bypass Road, supported by the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. 

Now, the new 14.3-kilometer road channels transit traffic smoothly around the city. The project features a new crossing over the Rioni River and cleared the way for the final section of Georgia’s East–West Highway. This vital highway is a key link in the CAREC Corridor 2, connecting Central Asia with Europe. 

The shift is already tangible for those on the road every day. Merab Abuladze, a veteran truck driver, says his runs have become much easier: “Before, traffic could stretch my trip to Tbilisi to 7 or 8 hours,” he said, “now I can get there comfortably in about 5.” 

Local residents are also saving plenty of time. “What used to take 30 to 40 minutes now takes about 7 or 8 minutes,” said Revaz Dzneladze, who lives in Khelvachauri. 

On top of that, the project is set to cut travel times between Sarpi and Poti in half—from 3 hours to just 90 minutes—speeding up the flow of people and goods across the country. 

For Batumi, the bypass road means clearer streets and smoother travel. For the broader CAREC region, it strengthens a vital trade artery linking Asia and Europe.