A capsule-laying ceremony in Shymkent has launched the construction of a new bypass road. The highway will divert transit and heavy freight traffic outside the city and create a new transport route for the southern region, the website infohub.kz reports.
The project is being implemented by a consortium of companies, Kazakdorstroy and ABK-Avtodor, both part of BI Engineering & Construction. Project coordinators shared the details.
Shymkent sits at the crossroads of major transport routes linking China and the countries of Central Asia, as well as the international Western Europe – Western China corridor. However, the lack of a full bypass means some transit traffic passes through the city.
The new bypass road will allow transit traffic to follow its route without entering Shymkent. This will ease the load on the city's road network and main entry points, and reduce the presence of heavy trucks within the city limits.
"The bypass road is important not only for Shymkent but for the transport system of the entire southern region. The new route will create more convenient links between key destinations and open up additional opportunities for the development of logistics, manufacturing and roadside services. Our task as the contractor is to deliver this large-scale infrastructure project in full," said project manager Kuanysh Almukhambetov.
The project is being implemented under an EPC contract – Engineering, Procurement and Construction. This is a turnkey format in which the contractor is responsible for design, the procurement of necessary materials and equipment, construction and handover of the completed facility to the client.
The new road will create conditions for the development of adjacent areas. Logistics and production sites, warehouses, terminals and roadside service facilities can spring up along the route. The project is also linked to the development of the international logistics and cross-border center SHIKHO.
The economic effect begins already at the construction stage. The project generates demand for building materials, machinery and transport services, and provides employment for engineering, technical and blue-collar staff. Once the road is commissioned, logistics, trade, manufacturing and roadside services will gain additional opportunities.