Uzbekistan to upgrade 4,000 km of highways to international autobahn standards

The project focuses on key arterial routes connecting major hubs across the republic, including Andijan – Kungrad, Tashkent – Termez, Samarkand – Shakhrisabz and Alat – Saryasia.

Funding for these large-scale works will be drawn from a combination of the state budget and investments from international financial institutions.

In addition to the primary autobahn project, the government has planned the reconstruction of 300 km of roads across four specific regions: the Republic of Karakalpakstan, and the Bukhara, Kashkadarya, and Surkhandarya regions.

The breakdown of this regional reconstruction includes 220 km of international and national highways, alongside 80 km of local roads. These upgrades aim to bring the country’s road sector into a modern era, significantly boosting Uzbekistan’s transit potential and the overall quality of its road surfaces.

The transition to high-speed autobahns is expected to yield substantial economic benefits. According to the decree, the following improvements are projected:

• Increased capacity: Higher throughput for vehicle traffic.
• Higher load limits: Maximum permissible axle load will increase by 13 tons.
• Time savings: Travel times are expected to decrease by as much as 6 hours on major routes.
• Cost reduction: Operational expenses for transport are forecasted to be cut in half.

Looking toward 2030, Uzbekistan plans to reconstruct an additional 1,200 km of roads. A major highlight of this long-term strategy is the construction of a dedicated Tashkent – Samarkand highway.

The government has set a tight timeline for this project: an international partner is to be selected by March 15, a contract signed by September, and construction works are scheduled to commence by December of this year.