BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 22. The new $2.2 billion Tashkent-Samarkand highway is expected to spur economic growth across central Uzbekistan.
This was announced by the press service of the Uzbek President, citing Mirziyoyev's remarks at the launch ceremony for the Tashkent-Samarkand highway.
''An analysis by the World Bank shows that every dollar invested in major transportation infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan can yield up to five dollars in economic benefits,'' the press service says, citing Mirziyoyev's speech.
According to Mirziyoyev, the new Tashkent-Samarkand highway will raise economic activity in the regions to a new level.
The president stressed that the highway is expected to increase the combined gross regional product of Tashkent city and the Syrdarya, Jizzakh and Samarkand regions by about 3%, while creating new opportunities for business and investment.
The project is also expected to generate thousands of jobs and new sources of income for 13 districts with a combined population of more than 2 million people.
In the course of the meeting, it was announced that logistics centers, warehouses, industrial and agro-industrial enterprises, commercial and service facilities, hotels, and tourism infrastructure are expected to emerge along the route, helping transform the corridor into a major economic zone.
The government also expects the project to stimulate domestic industries by creating significant demand for locally produced construction materials and engineering services, providing new business opportunities for Uzbek companies during the construction phase.
Mirziyoyev said the government is simultaneously advancing several other strategic transport projects, including the recently launched Khiva-Urgench highway, the Tashkent-Andijan highway, for which an international tender is nearing completion, and a new road linking Tashkent with Bostanliq District, whose design work is close to being finalized.
''Today, on the eve of the 35th anniversary of our country's independence, we are laying another solid foundation for Uzbekistan's future, its economic stability and the prosperity of our people,'' Mirziyoyev said before placing a ceremonial capsule to mark the start of construction.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Mirziyoyev said the six-lane expressway marks the beginning of ''a new era'' for Uzbekistan's road infrastructure as the government accelerates investment in transport networks to support economic growth and regional connectivity. ''The construction of the new Tashkent-Samarkand highway is another major historic step in the development of our country's transport infrastructure,'' he said.
According to the president, Uzbekistan has carried out construction and rehabilitation work on 128,000 kilometers of roads over the past decade, investing 78 trillion soums (around $6.4 billion) in the sector. The new highway will stretch 282 kilometers and include 92 bridges, 28 overpasses and 60 tunnel-type crossings.
The statement said that the expressway will feature a monolithic concrete pavement designed to withstand heavy traffic and high-speed vehicles, allowing speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour on flat sections while incorporating modern safety systems and digital traffic management technologies to reduce road accidents. Once completed, the highway is expected to cut travel time between Tashkent and Samarkand from five hours to about two and a half hours, accommodate 60,000 to 80,000 vehicles per day, and lower freight transportation costs by 20% to 24%, according to official estimates.
The project is one of Uzbekistan's largest transport infrastructure investments and forms part of the government's broader strategy to modernize road networks, improve domestic connectivity and strengthen the country's position as a regional transit hub by enhancing trade efficiency, supporting tourism and improving links between the country's largest economic centers.
The Tashkent-Samarkand expressway forms part of Uzbekistan's broader effort to modernize its transport network and strengthen regional connectivity. Beyond reducing travel times, the government expects the project to stimulate industrial development, attract private investment, and reinforce the country's position as a key logistics hub connecting Central Asia with international trade corridors.
