The Great Ring of Tirana will be opened for traffic on Monday (December 30) afternoon. The last phase of work is focused on the traffic signs and other road safety elements.

The Deputy Prime Minister, at the same time the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, together with the director of the Albanian Road Authority, Gentian Gjyli, inspected on Friday the works on lot 5, where work is being implemented on laying the last layers of asphalt and placing information boards.

Director Gjyli announced that the works have progressed quickly, and thanks to the commitment of other institutions, the identified problems have been overcome. The intervention of OSHEE and OST also made it possible to move underground power lines to make way for the construction site.

Deputy Prime Minister Balluku said that during these weeks they worked with increased forces, despite the weather conditions, to make it possible to finalize this work in the stipulated time. Balluku said that the Great Ring Road is an important work, not only for the capital but also for citizens who come from other areas, as it is connected to all highways.

"We gave our construction an acceleration pace, despite the weather conditions that did not help us during December, precisely to deliver and free the capital from the traffic, since as we said the Great Ring Road is not only at the service of the capital's residents, but it is at the service of all those visitors who come from all four corners of Albania," said Balluku.

The Great Ring of Tirana, in addition to the vehicle speed lanes, also has urban elements as part of the project, such as lighting and green areas, since it crosses residential areas. There will also be dedicated spaces for pedestrians.

"The road is extremely important. It is a highway that has been treated with urban elements, precisely because it crosses residential areas and it is an infrastructural work that will turn into a good practice to follow as the coordination of all actors, but of course also the contribution of builders, can bring an extraordinary result in a very short time," underlined Balluku.

The Great Ring of Tirana has a length of about 29 kilometers. It is divided into four segments. The northern ring starts at the former Shqiponja Square and ends at the overpass in Shkoza. The western ring starts at the former Shqiponja square and ends at the overpass of the palace with arrows.

The Southern ring starts at the overpass at the palace with arrows and ends at the TEG roundabout. As well as the eastern ring that starts at the TEG roundabout and ends at the Shkoza overpass, including the segment from the Shkoza overpass to the new maternity ward.