Azerbaijan, Baku, April 17 / Trend A.Akhundov /
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced a tender under the project to rehabilitate the Mingachevir - Bahramtapa Road, the EBRD statement said on Tuesday.
Reconstruction of the existing two lane road will include pavement strengthening, providing a typical lane width of 7.5m (2 x 3.75m) with two 3.75m shoulders. Design speeds of 100 km/h will be adopted for flat and undulated terrain, 80 km/h for hilly terrain, and 50 km/h for urban areas.
Bridge and culverts will also be reconstructed or rehabilitated. Traffic safety features such as illumination, pedestrian crossing, road signs, road marking shall also be incorporated.
It is anticipated that the works contracts will be divided into three construction lots:
• Lot 1: Mingachevir - Mingachevir Station
• Lots 2 & 3 - Mingachevir Station (Aran) - Bahramtapa.
Deadline for tender bids is April 25, 2012 at 17:00 hours (local time).
Azerroadservice OJC (the Implementing Agency) will be responsible for implementation of the project. The Implementing Agency is now seeking to engage an internationally qualified and experienced consultant to carry out review of the existing design documents, namely: engineering report, drawings, bills of quantities, specifications and back-up calculations, data and surveys, obtaining all topographical, geotechnical, hydrological, environmental and other surveys that may be required to validate the existing design and complete any additional design necessary.
The assignment is expected to start in July 2012.
The Azerbaijani government and the EBRD signed a loan agreement to provide $750 million to develop road infrastructure in Azerbaijan in early December, 2010.
The loan agreement envisages allocation of $250 million under the first tranche for reconstruction of major highways that will provide access to regional transportation corridors. The remaining two tranches will be allocated in equal shares to the sum of $250 million.
The first tranche ($250 million) of this loan will be allocated for the Mingachevir-Bahramtepe road reconstruction. Reconstruction of the 166-kilometre section of this two-lane road in line with modern standards will improve transport links to rural areas where a population of around half a million people reside and will provide access to the motorway connecting Baku to the Georgian border.