S5 highway (Georgia)

The Georgian S5 route (Georgian: საერთაშორისო მნიშვნელობის გზა ს55, Saertashoriso mnishvnelobis gza S5, road of international importance), also known as Tbilisi-Bakurtsikhe-Lagodekhi (Azerbaijan border) or Kakheti Highway, is a "road of international importance" within the Georgian road network and runs from Tbilisi via Sagarejo and Bakurtsikhe to the border with Azerbaijan near Lagodekhi over a distance of 160 kilometres (99 mi). After crossing the Georgian-Azerbaijan border the highway continues as M5 to Zagatala and Yevlakh. The S5 highway is one of the two Georgian S-highways that is not part of the European or Asian international highway routes. Within the Georgian S-network it connects with the S9 Tbilisi Bypass.

S5
საერთაშორისო 5
Tbilisi-Bakurtsikhe-Lagodekhi
S5 across Iori Plateau near Vaziani
Route information
Length	160 km (99 mi)
Existed	1996–present
Major junctions
West end	Tbilisi
Major intersections	(km)   13 Tbilisi Airport   19 ()   26 Sh38 Telavi via Gombori   95 Sh40 Sighnaghi 104 Sh42 Gurjaani / Telavi 111 Sh40 Sighnaghi 118 Sh39 Dedoplistskaro 150 Sh43 Kvareli / Akhmeta
East end	Azerbaijan border (Lagodekhi)
Location
Georgia
Municipalities	Tbilisi, Gardabani, Sagarejo, Gurjaani, Sighnaghi, Lagodekhi
Highway system
Roads in Georgia International Routes National Routes

Referring to its main location, the Kakheti region, the road is nicknamed "Kakheti Highway". While the segment in the capital region until the Tbilisi Bypass intersection has been built as a 6 lane city express road, and has been so until the airport since the 1970s, the rest of the highway is a 2 lane highway which passes through towns and villages. To improve traffic flow in the crowded Alazani valley, a bypass is planned between Bakurtsikhe and Tsnori, and the 35 kilometres (22 mi) Tbilisi Bypass - Sagarejo section is scheduled to be upgraded to a 2x2 motorway.

Background

Since the early 1980s the current S5 route was referred to within the Soviet road network as A302 between Tbilisi and the junction West of Lagodekhi. Beyond this point the road was part of the A315 to Zagatala and further into the Azerbaijan SSR. Prior to the 1980s the route of today's S5 was unnumbered as was the case with most Soviet roads.

After Georgia regained independence in 1991, the Soviet route designations were maintained until 1996 when the current route numbering system was adopted. In that year the "roads of international importance" (S-)category was introduced and the "S5 Tbilisi-Bakurtsikhe-Lagodekhi (Azerbaijan border)" replaced the old A302 and A315 designations.

Future

In 2021 contractors were signed for a new 35 kilometres (22 mi) motorway section of the S5 highway, between the Tbilisi Bypass (S9) and Sagarejo. The project is divided in three lots and will be financed by the state. Chinese and Turkish companies will build two lots of 31 kilometres (19 mi) in total, while a Georgian company will be responsible for the remainder. The redesigned section will bypass villages and towns. Due is an upgrade of the Sagarejo-Badiauri section of 17 kilometres (11 mi), for which the World Bank committed to financing.

Also a 17 kilometres (11 mi) km bypass between Bakurtsikhe and Tsnori has been announced. The tender for this section has been completed in 2021. This section of the S5 in the Alazani Valley is densely built up and has a chain of villages and towns. Similarly, the Gurjaani Bypass was opened north of Bakurtikhe in 2021.

Upgrades S5 highway
Lot	Section	Length	Funding	Contractor	Start construction	Opened	Remarks
3	Tbilisi Bypass - Vaziani	4.0 km	$150m State budget	New Road Ltd (GE)	April 2022
1	Vaziani - Sagarejo	23.8 km		China Road and Bridge Corporation (CN)
2	Sagarejo	7.7 km		Göçay İnşaat Taahhüt ve Ticaret (TK)
4	Sagarejo - Badiauri	17.0 km	€97.7m World Bank	Göçay İnşaat Taahhüt ve Ticaret (TK)
	Bakurtikhe - Tsnori	16.6 km	$30m Asian Development Bank	China Road and Bridge Corporation (CN)	Q1 2022		Budget part of Batumi Bypass project credit
1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Under construction

The S5 "Kakheti highway" will be upgraded to motorway Tbilisi - Sagarejo - Badiauri and a single carriageway bypass Bakurtsikhe - Tsnori.

Route

S5 sign in Tbilisi city

The reference point for the mileage of roads leaving Tbilisi, such as the S5 highway, is Freedom Square according to the Georgian "Law on motor roads". But that does not mean Freedom Square is the actual starting point of the highway. In the case of the S5 the actual starting point is George W. Bush Street east of the city centre and about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Freedom Square. The main speed limit is 90 km/h (56 mph) with the exception of passage through towns and villages (60 km/h (37 mph), may vary locally) and within the Tbilisi city. With the exception of the Tbilisi part, the highway is a two lane road throughout and doesn't have major differences in altitude: it hovers around 450–600 m (1,480–1,970 ft) above sea level, reaches its lowest point of 200 m (660 ft) asl in the Alazani Valley and its highest point of 840 m (2,760 ft) asl near Sagarejo.

Tbilisi - Sagarejo

George W. Bush Street, Tbilisi

The Kakheti Highway starts in George W Bush Street the "Kakheti Highway" as a 2x3 lane city express road, with parallel lanes until the airport exit just before the Tbilisi Lilo area. In 2020 the stretch until the Tbilisi Airport has been completely rehabilitated. Through Lilo the road is a 2x2 lane city road after which the road reduces to a two lane highway until its terminus. From this point a 35 km 2x2 motorway to Sagarejo has been planned, with construction works being anticipated. Heading East the S5 highway runs through the dry East Georgian lands passing a few villages and some hills along the way. Just East of Vaziani the Sh38 state route offers an alternative to north Kakheti and Alazani valley via the 1,640 m (5,380 ft) Gombori Pass. Near Sagarejo the highway skirts along the foot of the Gombori mountain range which extends in southeasterly direction from the Caucasus range and separates the Iori and Alazani river valleys. Sagarejo is the regional centre of this part of Kakheti, and it offers the northern access road to the historic David Gareja monastery complex on the border with Azerbaijan.

Sagarejo - Tsnori

Winding through Kakheti villages

Heading out of Sagarejo the S5 follows the foot of the Gombori mountain range. The Tbilisi - Gurjaani - Telavi railway line which opened in 1915 follows more or less the same route, and crosses the S5 a couple of times (grade separated). Just before passing over the Gombori Range in its southern tip the Sh40 leads to touristic Signagi which is situated on top of the ridge providing splendid views over the Alazani Valley. The S5 meanwhile passes over the lower part of the range at a modest 770 m (2,530 ft) and arrives in Bakurtsikhe. In Bakurtsikhe the S5 turns right running parallel to the Alazani river valley and the flank of the Gombori Range. Left in Bakurtsikhe runs the main thoroughfare of the South side of the Alazani valley, the Sh42 state route to Gurjaani, Telavi and Akhmeta.

Due to the intensive wine production in this region, this side of the Alazani Valley is densely populated with a string of villages and towns crammed next to each other along the Sh42 and S5. Since summer 2021 a new Bypass has been opened between Bakurtsikhe and Gurjaani to improve traffic flow while reducing traffic through the villages. The S5 between Bakurtsikhe and Tsnori will get a similar bypass around the string of villages. For a highway with this status this section of the road is also quite narrow at places.

Tsnori - Lagodekhi

Terminus of S5

In Tsnori the S5 highway turns northeast across the fertile and green Alazani river valley. The Alazani is the main river in Kakheti and provides the water for the intensive grape and fruit farming in the region. Across the valley the highway passes through a string of villages again, yet less densely populated. At Ninigori the S5 junctions with the regional thoroughfare along the North side of the valley, the Sh43, which leads to Akhmeta via Kvareli. At the foot of the Caucasus Range Lagodekhi is the main town near the border with Azerbaijan. Beyond the border via a narrow bridge across the Matsimis Tskali River the road continues as M-5 through the Zaqatala region, a formerly contested area between the two countries.

Intersections

Region	Municipality	km	mi		Destinations	Route	Notes
City of Tbilisi		4	2.5	"Kakheti Highway" (S5) begins at George W. Bush Street
		7	4.3		Moscow Ave / Javakheti Str
		9	5.6		Varketili / Tbilisi Sea
		11	6.8		Chantladze Street
		13	8.1				Tbilisi Airport
		18	11	Tbilisi city limits
				Continues East as two lane highway.
				Crosses Lochini River (180m, region boundary))
Kvemo Kartli	Gardabani	19	12		Batumi / Poti Tsiteli Khidi (Red Bridge) / Rustavi		"Tbilisi Bypass"
		21	13		Vaziani
		23	14		Martkopi		Martkopi monastery signposted
		27	17		Sioni / Tianeti / Telavi		Via Gombori Pass
		34	21	Crosses Iori River (150 m)
Kakheti	Sagarejo	40	25	Crosses Patardzeuliskhevi River (120 m)
		47	29	Sagarejo town limits
		50	31		Davit Gareja
		51	32	Sagarejo town limits
		62	39	Crosses Chailuri River (115 m)
	Gurjaani	93	58		Signagi Melaani
		102	63		Telavi		Since 2021 via Gurjaani Bypass
	Signagi	110	68		Sighnaghi
		116	72		Sighnaghi
		118	73		Dedoplistskaro
		128	80	Crosses Alazani River (115 m, municipality boundary)
	Lagodekhi	150	93		Akhmeta
		155	96	Crosses Shromiskhevi River (75 m)
		157	98	Crosses Lagodekhiskhevi River (115 m)
		160	99	Lagodekhi border checkpoint.
				Crosses Matsimis Tskali River (100 m, Georgia - Azerbaijan border)
				Balakan border checkpoint. Road continues as to Zagatala and Yevlakh
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi