Russia-Azerbaijan highway to become four-lane by 2030

The Caucasus highway, which connects Russiachr("39")s regions with Azerbaijan, will be expanded to four lanes by 2030, said Alexander Lukashuk, head of the Russian Federal State Budgetary Institution of the Caucasus Department of Transport, Olaylar informs via Interfax.

Lukashuk emphasized the importance of the R-217 highway (also known as the Caucasus highway), which is part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) linking the subjects of the Russian Federation and foreign countries. "Our priority today is the R-217 highway. The entire Caucasus highway will be four-lane by 2030," he stated.

Currently, 75-85% of the road is already four-lane, he added.

The official also noted that the entire INSTC passing through the North Caucasus Federal District will have a four-lane highway, involving the connection of several sections of the R-215 highway with the R-217 highway.

"Special attention is paid to this highway (Caucasus) because it has the highest tourist flow and freight traffic," he explained. Along with the road, the bridges along it will also be expanded.

The R-217 (Caucasus) highway stretches 1,118 kilometers from the Pavlovskaya village, Krasnodar Krai to the Yarag-Kazmalyar, Dagestan, Russia on the border with Azerbaijan, passing through the Krasnodar and Stavropol krais, as well as the republics of the North Caucasus Federal District.