Minister Karakaçi Announces Start of Elbasan Bypass Works, a €240 Million Project

During a parliamentary interpellation, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enea Karakaçi declared that building on the Elbasan bypass had started, although funding for the project’s complete execution is still being sought. The three lots are expected to cost a total of about €240 million.
The Albanian Road Authority has received the finished engineering design. The state budget and foreign finance are anticipated to provide funding due to the size of the investment.
On Lot 1, which is estimated to be worth €90 million, construction has started. The contracts for the first two stages have been signed, and the third phase has been budgeted for 2027. It is anticipated that the procurement process for Lot 1’s last phase would start in September or October.
The Elbasan bypass, according to Minister Karakaçi, will separate transit traffic from urban traffic, relieving traffic, lowering transportation expenses, and, depending on the location, reducing travel time by more than ten minutes. Along with strengthening Elbasan’s ties to Corridor VIII and the national transportation system, the project is anticipated to increase road safety.
The Tirana–Elbasan route sees daily traffic of about 25,000 cars on average, with peak hours seeing up to 30,000 cars. In order to reduce current traffic congestion, the Albanian Road Authority is examining and putting interim measures into place.
The Elbasan bypass would improve access to economic and industrial zones while facilitating the movement of people, cars, and goods, according to the minister, who characterized it as a crucial investment for the region’s economic development.