The President of Uzbekistan traveled along the Urgench-Khiva toll road.
The President drove along the toll road connecting Urgench Airport and Khiva. This is the first toll road in Uzbekistan. Payment can be made electronically without stopping, by card, or via QR code. Special vehicles are allowed to pass unimpeded. Photo.
On Tuesday, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev traveled along the newly constructed Urgench-Khiva toll highway, the country's first. The highway starts from Urgench Airport and runs parallel to the new railway line, which opened the day before.
The four-lane, 35-kilometer road includes one tunnel, eight overpasses, 15 bridges, and 106 culverts. Roadside service facilities are planned along the route.
The road is designed to handle over 30,000 vehicles per day. It is expected to reduce travel time from 45-50 minutes to 15-17 minutes.
Traffic management and toll collection will be implemented using digital technologies. Payment for tolls is available electronically without stopping, by bank card, or via QR code. Dedicated lanes are provided for emergency vehicles for unimpeded passage.
Construction of the road, which began in February, was estimated to cost $120 million.
The road surface is reportedly 87 cm thick, and the top layer uses a modified bitumen mixture resistant to high temperatures.
The president recently approved a new version of the Law "On Motorways," which establishes the legal basis for the creation of toll roads. The law requires the mandatory provision of alternative toll-free routes for toll highways.