BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 30. Kazakhstan has
opened traffic on a new bridge across the Pikhtovka River in the
East Kazakhstan region and completed the main reconstruction works
on a 28-kilometer section of the Ust-Kamenogorsk–Altai–Ulken
Naryn–Katon-Karagai–Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi highway, accoridng to the
country's Ministry of Transport.


The opening ceremony was attended by First Deputy Prime Minister
of Kazakhstan Nurlibek Naliyev, East Kazakhstan Region Governor
Nurymbet Saktaganov, Vice Minister of Transport Damir Kozhakhmetov,
Chairman of the Management Board of KazAvtoZhol Darkhan Imanashev,
and representatives of road construction companies.


The new bridge across the Pikhtovka River stands up to 45 meters
above the terrain and is 175 meters long. It consists of seven
spans and eight supports, on which 79 reinforced concrete beams
have been installed. Construction was carried out in challenging
mountainous and geological conditions and required non-standard
engineering solutions. In particular, the bridge follows a curved
alignment designed to accommodate the mountainous terrain.


The new route will allow drivers to bypass the challenging
hairpin bends of the Osinovsky Pass, improve road safety, and make
settlements and tourist sites in the region more accessible.


According to the ministry, for many years, the Osinovsky Pass
was one of the most difficult sections of Kazakhstan's national
road network. Sharp turns, long climbs, snowfall, and icy
conditions made travel particularly challenging in winter. The new
road is expected to provide more favorable conditions for
year-round transport links.







As part of the reconstruction, the lower and upper layers of the
road base, as well as the asphalt concrete pavement, have been
completed along the entire 28-kilometer section. Earthworks totaled
545,000 cubic meters, while drilling and blasting works amounted to
603,000 cubic meters.


The project also included the construction of two bridges and 38
culverts, including two livestock crossings. A total of 135
specialists and 65 pieces of equipment were involved in the
construction.


The road reconstruction is expected to improve access to the
Altai, Ulken Naryn and Katon-Karagai districts and create
additional conditions for the development of domestic tourism,
business activity and transport services.