China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan International Highway
Network of roads of Asia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan International Highway (CKU) is a transport corridor centered on Kyrgyzstan. It is envisioned to "interlink Pakistan, China and Kyrgyzstan, with strategic nodes extending to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan."[1][2]
The corridor is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative and among the corridors and projects listed in a joint communiqué of state leaders attending the 2nd Belt and Road Initiative Forum in April 2019.[3]
Projects
One of the main projects contributing to the creation of the corridor is the North-South Alternative Road. The 250km highway is a shorter alternative to the existing highway from the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek to Osh, the country's second city in the south.[2] China Road and Bridge Corporation, the construction contractor for both phases began work in 2014 and completion is expected in 2021. The road is financed by an approximately US$700 million loan from the Export-Import Bank of China given on a concessional basis (low interest rate).[4] The road has faced construction delays.[4] CRBC personnel report exceeding difficult conditions in building the road including rainy weather sweeping away temporary bridges, construction of a high altitude tunnel over 3,000 meters, and segments built next to the torrential Naryn River.[2]