Lars Closed for All Types of Vehicles

The Lars passage has been completely closed for all types of vehicles. This information was reported to Sputnik Armenia by Vahan Hakobyan, the customs liaison in Russia.

“Due to deteriorating weather conditions, the Khach mountain pass is fully closed in both directions for all types of vehicles along the Gudauri-Kobi section of the internationally significant Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Lars highway,” the liaison noted.

Previously, the road had been closed in both directions for heavy vehicles due to heavy snowfall in Upper Lars.

It is noteworthy that Georgia is constructing a road that bypasses the most dangerous section (Gudauri-Kobi) of the Mtskheta–Stepantsminda–Lars highway. This involves a nine-kilometer tunnel.

The project plans to build a 23 km-long dual-layer concrete road, five bridges, and five tunnels. Upon completion of the project in 2024, vehicles will reach Stepantsminda from Tbilisi (at the border with Russia) in 1 hour and 45 minutes (currently it takes 2 hours and 30 minutes). As a result, uninterrupted traffic will be ensured throughout the year.