BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 28. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has published the final report on the completion of the fourth phase of the Bishkek–Osh Road Improvement Project (CAREC Corridor 3), Trend reports.
The bank highlighted the long-term success and sustainability of the strategic upgrade, noting that all key project objectives were achieved.
The main result was the reconstruction of the 52.5-kilometer Bishkek–Kara-Balta section. Pavement quality improved significantly, with the International Roughness Index (IRI) reduced from 7.0 to less than 3.0 meters per kilometer.
The upgraded road has enhanced regional connectivity, increased traffic flow, and facilitated trade between the Ferghana Valley, other parts of Kyrgyzstan, and neighboring countries. The project also supports poverty reduction by expanding access to economic opportunities for communities along the route.
The report emphasized that, despite higher road capacity, stricter speed limits of 30 km/h near more than 12 schools were introduced to improve pedestrian safety, reflecting a comprehensive approach that combines infrastructure improvements with traffic safety measures.
The project builds on three previous phases, during which the ADB helped rehabilitate 320 of the 655 km of the Bishkek-Osh road. All previous phases were assessed by the ADB's Independent Evaluation Department as successful and relevant. Other development partners, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), contributed to the upgrading of more than 539 km—about 82 percent of the route. Before the start of Phase 4, the sections between Bishkek and Kara-Balta and between Madaniyat and Jalal-Abad remained in poor condition, with an IRI index above 7 and an average truck speed below 50 km/h, posing a danger to users.
Phase 4 was financed with an ADB loan of $65 million and a $35 million grant from the Asian Development Fund.
