New Astarachay River bridge connecting Iran and Azerbaijan, to open soon

The new bridge over Astarachay River, which connects Iran and Azerbaijan, is almost ready to be opened, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Shahriar Afandizadeh said, Azernews reports.

Afandizadeh visited the bridge site and inspected the progress of the construction work on December 10.

He said that the bridge, which is part of the international transit highway between the two countries, will facilitate trade, transport, and transit between Iran and Azerbaijan.

The deputy minister added that a temporary border terminal and a temporary road for empty trucks have been built near the bridge, and that they will start operating in the next few weeks.

According to him, about 800 trucks will be able to cross the bridge every day. Afandizadeh stated that the bridge project was a result of the cooperation between the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development of Iran, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency.

The deputy minister also pointed out that the two countries have reached several agreements within the framework of the Joint Economic Commission to improve and implement joint projects.

He noted that the existing old bridge will be used for full trucks until the construction of a 1,100-meter-long road at the exit of the new border terminal is completed.

Afandizadeh mentioned that the construction of the road is going on fast and that it will be improved in the coming months.

The construction of the new bridge over the Astarachay River, which is the eastern border between Iran and Azerbaijan, started on January 25, 2022. The bridge will be 97.5 meters long and 30.5 meters wide, with three spans, four lanes, with two additional lanes for backup traffic. It will also have two pedestrian crossings, each 2.5 meters wide.