Uzbekistan is building a 780-metre bridge over the Karadarya River to connect the new Shirin residential area with Samarkand city and its international airport, with the project expected to cut travel distances and ease traffic congestion.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev inspected the construction site during a visit to Samarkand region on October 18, the presidential press service reported.
The bridge project is valued at UZS 310bn ($25.7mn) and will be 29.8 metres wide, with four traffic lanes and a capacity of up to 25,000 vehicles per day, according to the report.
Once operational, the bridge is expected to reduce the distance between Shirin and Samarkand city centre from 23 kilometres to 4 kilometres, cutting travel time by 30 minutes.
During the visit, Mirziyoyev received a briefing on the project's technical solutions and traffic management plans before speaking with local activists.
“In 2016, only 1.2mn tourists visited Uzbekistan. Today, Samarkand alone receives 5mn tourists annually. Could we have ever imagined such results?” the president said.
He added that Uzbekistan needed to strengthen its position in an increasingly competitive world through well-planned projects and more efficient logistics.
“If we develop projects effectively and organize logistics efficiently, we can reduce people’s costs and travel time. After all, a city should serve its people! This bridge was one of my long-held goals. Today, that dream has come true,” Mirziyoyev added.
The president also emphasised the responsibility of citizens to contribute to the country's development, referring to a speech he had delivered the previous day.
“We must live with the conviction: ‘I am an Uzbekistani. I act for the good of my people, I study for the sake of my people, and I strive for new things for the sake of my future,” he said.
Construction of the bridge began in 2022 and is scheduled for completion in 2026.
Earlier reports put the bridge's length at 330 metres and its cost at UZS 260bn ($21.6mn). The project is being implemented under the general contracting of the state enterprise 1st Bridge Construction Detachment.
In June 2023, Mirziyoyev reviewed the master plan for the Shirin residential area and issued instructions on its development.