Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and the Reconstruction of the Road Link Between Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan Project Progress Report JULY 2001 CONSORTIUM composed of KOCKS CONSULT GMBH BCEOM FINNROAD LTD. Germany France Finland represented by KOCKS CONSULT GMBH REPORT COVER PAGES Project Title : Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and the Reconstruction of the Road Link Between Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan Project Number : SCR-E/110579/C/SV/WW Country : Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia Local Operator EC Consultant Name : Road Department of Armenia KOCKS CONSULT GMBH Consulting Engineers Address : 21 Koriun St. Stegemannstraße 32 - 38 Yerevan 375009 56068 Koblenz ARMENIA GERMANY Tel. number : (+37 42) 582712 or 583106 (+49 261) 1302-0 (operat.) (+49 261) 1302-143 (direct) Fax number : (+37 42) 151830 (+49 261) 1302 - 152 Telex number : 862807 E-mail : [email protected] [email protected] Contact person : Hakob Petrosyan, Werner P. Weiler, Head of Planning Department Project Manager Signatures Name : State Concern AZERAVTOYOL KOCKS CONSULT GMBH Consulting Engineers Address : 72 A, Hadjihekov Street 370010 Baku AZERBAIJAN Tel. number : (+994 12) 933556 Fax number : (+994 12) 930045 Telex number : 142272 YOL E-mail : Contact person : Nizami Garaisayev, Vice President Signatures : Local Operator EC Consultant Name : State Department of Roads KOCKS CONSULT GMBH Consulting Engineers Address : 29a Gagarin Street 380060 Tbilisi GEORGIA Tel. number : (+995 32) 370666 Fax number : (+995 32) 931177 or 942618 Telex number : 212189 E-mail : Contact person : Tamaz Shaishmelashvili, Vice Chairman Signatures : Date of report : 30. June 2001 Reporting period : March 2001 until June 2001 Author of report: Werner P. Weiler / Carsten Griese (Kocks Consult GmbH) EC M & E Team (name) (signature) (date) EC Delegation (name) (signature) (date) TACIS Bureau (Task Manager) (name) (signature) (date) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PROJECT SYNOPSIS 2. SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT PROGRESS SINCE THE START 2.1 Commencement of services 2.2 Activities and project progress since the beginning 3. SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT PLANNING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT 4. PROJECT PROGRESS IN REPORTING PERIOD 4.1 Activities during the reporting period March to June 2001 4.2 Utilisation of the study personnel 4.3 Equipment utilised 4.4 Project progress report 4.5 Resource utilisation report 4.6 Output performance report 5. PROJECT PLANNING FOR THE NEXT REPORTING PERIOD 5.1 Planned activities 5.2 Plan of operation for the next period (work programme) 6. ADDITIONAL BROADER PROPOSALS Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and the Reconstruction of the Road Link Between Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan 1. PROJECT SYNOPSIS Project Title : Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and the Reconstruction of the Road Link Between Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan Project Number : SCR-E/110579/C/SV/WW Country : Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia Overall objective[s]: Improvement of the road link between Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan Project objective[s]: The objective of the project in Azerbaijan is to prepare detailed designs with bills of quantities and cost estimates, economic appraisal, environmental impact assessment and preparation of tender documents for the Ujar to Georgian bor- der road section. In Armenia and Georgia the objective of the project is to prepare a feasibility study and tender documents for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of deterio- rated sections of the road Tbilisi – Yerevan, Tbilisi – Red Bridge, Tbilisi – Marneuli and Tbilisi by-pass, in order to prepare loans by International Financial Institutions. Planned outputs : • topographical maps and information on terrain • assessment of existing road and structure condition • traffic forecast • geotechnical evaluation • environmental impact assessment • definitions of technical solutions for improvements and rehabilitation • preliminary cost estimates • economic appraisal • detailed engineering designs • quantity and cost estimates • pre-qualification and tender documents • procurement services Project activities : • arrangement of logistics (accommodation, office, transport) • commencement meetings with the recipient institutes • preparation of contract for co-operation • study of existing reports and analysing of available materials • road and bridge condition surveys • traffic surveys, data analysis and traffic forecast • topographical surveys, data evaluation and mapping • geotechnical and material investigations, incl. laboratory testing • preparation of feasibility studies describing the technical as well as eco- nomic requirements and recommendation for the rehabilitation and recon- struction of the project roads • preparation of detailed engineering designs and tender documents • presentation of designs, pre-qualification and tender documents • assistance with tendering • reporting Project starting date: 13. December 2000 Project duration: 12 months ___________________________________________________________________________________________ KOCKS CONSULT GMBH – BCEOM – FINNROAD Ltd. - 1 - Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and the Reconstruction of the Road Link Between Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan 2. SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT SINCE THE START 2.1 Commencement of services The contract for the ‘Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and the Reconstruction of the Road Link between Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan’ was signed on 13th December 2000. Following the signing of the contract, a consortium agreement and a working programme was agreed between the consor- tium members. The first activities included the arrangement of the logistics (accommodation, office, transportation, apparatus and instrumentation) of the project. Project offices, within the premises of our local as- sociates, were assigned to the team. Simultaneously, personnel arrangements were made for both the foreign and the local teams, to commence concurrently in the three project countries. Commu- nication links between the project offices, the project coordinator, and the respective Consultant’s head offices were established (address, telephone, fax, e-mail). Commencement meetings with the beneficiaries have been conducted by the Consultant. The general purpose of the meetings were consultation, facilitation, coordination and management of the project. The major particular purpose was to obtain the requirements of the Recipient Institu- tions, so that the needs of the Beneficiaries could be considered by adapting the work plan, taking into account the activities of other projects, and the requirements of prospective International Fi- nancing Institutions (IfI’s). 2.2 Activities and project progress since the beginning The major achievements of the project are: Armenia Traffic surveys and forecasts were carried out mainly during February and March. The Consult- ant noticed that there exists quite a remarkable record of previous & up to date traffic counting re- sults. The Road Authorities are implementing certain traffic counting on monthly basis on 4th and 19th day of every month. There are also records of traffic accidents that have come to the knowl- edge of the police. Desk studies for field surveys were carried out during February and March. Several field recon- naissance visits have been made starting from January. Specialist and experts have made field reconnaissance visits after commenced their services in the Project. Topographic surveys were commenced in January. Road pavement studies such as roughness, surface distress and deflection were mainly carried out during February – March. Pavement structure investigations such as trial pitting, coring and laboratory testing were mainly carried out during February – March. The Dynamic Cone Penetration Testing (DCPT) was decided not to carry out, because the ex- isting alignment will be kept. For measurements of the existing pavement strength FWD testing is adequate. This has been discussed and agreed by the Project Management Meeting with Arme- nian Roads. Roughness survey was carried out for the whole length of the road sections involved the Project by using Roadman device in February. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ KOCKS CONSULT GMBH – BCEOM – FINNROAD Ltd. - 2 - Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and the Reconstruction of the Road Link Between Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan Deflection survey was commenced during March. The survey was carried out only in those sec- tions that are included in the Project and have not been rehabilitated under the WB Loan No. 1. Also the sections Km 127+650 – 135+160 and 136+960 – 152+900 of the Ashtarak – Vanadzor – Stepananvan – Tashir road that already have been designed were not included, anyhow the de- signs of this section have been revised and updated. Geotechnical and construction material surveys and studies were commenced during February. The Project and the Consultant have also maintained close co-operation with World Bank’s new Task Manager. The Country Team Leader, during his visits Tbilisi has also visited and introduced Project activities in Traceca and Tacis offices in Tbilisi. Project Management Meetings (6 times) have been arranged regularly on monthly basis. The part- ner organisation Armenian Roads Department SSCC and other actors involved in this Project are very much committed to the Project. Azerbaijan The traffic survey programme consisted of manual and automatic traffic counts, and origin – des- tination surveys by roadside interviews. All surveys have been conducted in February and March 2001. Traffic predictions