A2 (Albania)

A2 motorway shield}}

A2 motorway
Autostradë A2
Autostrada e Pavaresise
Route information
Length 45.0 km (28.0 mi)
Fier Bypass is 22 km long
Major junctions
North end SH4 at Mbrostar interchange, part of Fier Bypass (Under construction)
South end
SH8 in Orikum at Vlora Bypass (Under construction)
Location
Major cities Fier, Vlorë
Highway system
Highways in Albania

The A2 (Albanian: Autostrada 2) is the third largest motorway in Albania spanning 46.5 kilometers (28.9 mi). As it connects Fier, the sixth largest city, to Vlorë, the third largest city in the country and largest city in southern Albania, the motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor and a significant part of the Adriatic–Ionian motorway.[1] The A2 is also the starting point of the Pan-European Corridor VIII. The motorway consists of two traffic lanes and an emergency lane in each driving direction separated by a central reservation. National significance of the motorway is reflected through its positive economic impact on the cities and towns it connects as well as its importance to tourism in Albania.

The A2 motorway has dramatically alleviated congestion on the adjacent National Road 8 (SH8) in the summer season by allowing faster travel time to Adriatic seaside resorts along the Vlora seaside, and further south to the Albanian Riviera. At Levan near Fier the motorway links with the newly built SH4 single carriageway to Greece through Tepelenë and Gjirokastër. The total construction cost for the motorway amounted to 60 million euros as the project underwent changes to accommodate for the rising levels of Vjosa River.

Overview

The preceding National Road 4 (SH4) at the northern edge stretching between Durrës, Kavajë, Lushnjë, and Fier has undergone widening to dual carriageway standards, and will be linked with A2 through the Fier Bypass.[2][3] On 3 February 2015, the Government of Albania received funding for the Vlorë Bypass linking A2 with coastal National Road 8 (SH8) along the Albanian Riviera.[4][5]

It was expected to start around 2015 and be completed in 2016 or early 2017, stretching from the southern end of A2 to Orikum. However, the winning firm Serenissima declared bankruptcy and the Albanian government was obliged to scrap the contract and reopen the bid for both the Fier and Vlora Bypasses. Construction work on the Fier Bypass is set to resume in the fall of 2018.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "MINISTRI OLLDASHI: NË FUND TË MUAJIT PRILL HAPEN PËR TRAFIKUN 16 KM E AUTOSTRADËS LEVAN - VLORË, PËRPARA SEZONIT TURISTIK SYNOJMË HAPJEN TËRËSISHT TË SAJ". archive.is (in Albanian). Në fund të muajit Prill, pritet të hapen për trafikun 16 km e autostradës Levan-Vlorë, konkretisht segmenti nga Novolesa deri në hyrje të qytetit të Vlorës.
  2. ↑ "Fier-Levan (Albania)". serenissimacostruzioni.it. The total development of the new arterial road is around 22,100m.
  3. ↑ "BYPASS-I FIERIT". arrsh.gov.al (in Albanian). Projekti i referohet ndertimit te nje bypass-i rrugor te te tipit autostrade interurbane midis qytetit te Fierit dhe Levanit (Bypass-i i Fierit) me gjatesi afersisht 22 km, me vlere prej 60 milion Euro financuar nga BERZH dhe BEI.
  4. ↑ "Fier and Vlore bypass roads". ebrd.com. The project involves co-financing, with the European Investment Bank (EIB), of the construction of a 22km bypass of the city of Fier and a 29km bypass of the city of Vlore in south-western Albania. The two bypasses are key sections of the national road network in Albania and will connect important roads previously co-financed by the EBRD and EIB (such as the Levan-Tepelene and Levan-Vlore roads).
  5. ↑ "BYPASS-I VLORES". arrsh.gov.al (in Albanian). Gjatesia e ketij aksi eshte 29 km dhe fillon qe nga Rrethrotullimi ne fund te autostrades Levan Vlore.
  6. ↑ "Albanian government borrows another 17 million Euros for the Vlora Bypass". balkaneu.com. 3 February 2015. The project is expected to be finalized in March 2017.
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