BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, August 29. The excavation of the Kok-Art tunnel, the largest tunnel in Kyrgyzstan, has been completed, Trend reports.
According to the country’s Ministry of Transport, this tunnel is being constructed as part of the North-South Alternative Road project. It is located on the border between the Toguz-Toro and Suzak districts, within the Kazarman-Jalal-Abad section of the North-South road.
The tunnel has a length of 3,890 meters, a width of 10 meters (with the road width being 8.5 meters and an additional 0.75 meters designated for service sidewalks on each side), and a height of 8.5 meters.
Upon completion, the tunnel will accommodate the passage of two large vehicles in opposite directions without causing congestion. The project's total cost amounts to $136 million. The full completion of the tunnel construction is anticipated by the end of 2024.
The Ministry of Transport of Kyrgyzstan commenced the construction of the North-South alternative road in 2014. The road's total length is 433 kilometers, with the project's cost reaching $850 million. It is constructed in challenging mountainous landscapes with the aim of connecting the northern and southern parts of Kyrgyzstan, separated by the Fergana Range.