Institute of Auditing Introduced to Improve Road Safety Standards in Armenia

In an effort to enhance road safety standards in Armenia, an auditing institute is being established. Road safety audits will become mandatory. Currently, not all roads in Armenia undergo safety audits. Those roads constructed with credit funds are subject to mandatory audits as per contract requirements, while others are not.

According to new legislative amendments, safety audits will pertain to all roads in Armenia, regardless of whether they were built or renovated with credit or state funding. Detailing the legislative changes at a press conference held by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Head of the Road Policy Division Arevhat Poghosyan noted that provisions related to the management of road infrastructure security, impact assessment, and road safety audits will be defined.

“During the construction, rehabilitation, or building of roads, we must implement the auditing process. This means that from the design phase to the early operational stages, we will conduct audits. The audit process focuses on ensuring safety elements. For example, we will check if traffic signs are properly placed, the correctness of road gradients, as well as lighting and markings,” said Arevhat Poghosyan.

Road traffic analysis will be conducted to identify the causes of accidents, and the audit will pay attention to issues related to road safety and infrastructure improvement.

The law specifies that safety audits on international roads will commence from July 1, 2025, audits on republican roads from January 1, 2026, and on local roads from January 1, 2027. Arevhat Poghosyan noted that the institute for auditing will be introduced in phases, and in the meantime, processes for training and certifying auditors will take place.

“The auditor can be either an individual or an organization. Clear criteria regarding their activities will be established. After obtaining certification, auditors will work on a competitive basis,” said Poghosyan.

The auditing process will also address issues related to adjacent properties along the roads. The requirements for construction in areas of automobile road confiscation, transit zones passing through settlement boundaries, and protective zones will be clarified. Arevhat Poghosyan pointed out that in many cases, various structures are built adjacent to roads without adhering to construction norms, creating obstacles for traffic.

Attention will also be focused on the country’s tunnels. New standards will be established. Arevhat Poghosyan informed that strict requirements will be set for three major tunnels: Nalbandian, Dilijan, and Pushkin Mountain Pass, covering aspects like lighting, emergency exits, and risk management.

Currently, the design phase for the rehabilitation of tunnels is underway.