Bechtel and Enka of Turkey signed a EUR418 million deal on 6th October, 2006 to build the 57 km four-lane highway segment, between Rreshen and Kalimash, part of a larger 170 km highway to the Kosovo border. The highway stretch in the north of the country is divided into three separate stretches and includes a 6 km tunnel and viaducts. The technical projects for each of the three separate sections should be ready in December, March and April respectively. The funding will come from the Albanian government and other international institutions and banks. The completed highway in Albania will run from the port city of Durres - 35 km west of the capital Tirana - to the town of Kukes, 200 km northeast of Tirana, and then to the Morina border crossing point. The project for the Albanian part of the Durres-Pristina motorway envisages construction of 111 km of new roads and repair of 59 km of existing roads. The new road will be about 45 km shorter than existing roads and will shorten travel time, which can now take up to six hours, to two hours. Visit www.bechtel.com and www.enka.com 41/06.
