Upper Lars Closed for Truck Traffic Due to Snow

The Upper Lars route has been closed for truck traffic in both directions due to heavy snowfall. The information was provided to Sputnik Armenia by Vahan Hakobyan, the customs attaché of Armenia in Russia.

“The Khashi mountain pass on the international Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Lars highway has been closed for truck transport due to the heavy snowfall in the Gudauri-Kobi section,” Hakobyan stated. He added that the road remains open for light passenger vehicles.

It is worth noting that Georgia is constructing a road bypassing the most dangerous part of the Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Lars highway (Gudauri-Kobi). This involves a nine-kilometer tunnel.

The project includes the construction of a 23 km long two-layer concrete road, five bridges, and five tunnels. Upon completion of the project in 2024, vehicles will be able to travel from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda (on the border with Russia) in 1 hour and 45 minutes, down from the current 2 hours and 30 minutes. This will ensure uninterrupted traffic throughout the year.