The trunk roads in Georgia are a network of internationally oriented highways, which connect the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, home to roughly a third of the national population, with neighbouring countries and the domestic regions. This is the backbone for a network of domestic trunk roads connecting vital regions with each other and the capital. The total length of the road network in Georgia is in 2021. The roads of so-called "international importance" and "national importance" are managed by the Roads Department (Georoad) of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia.
The "roads of international importance" are the highest category of roads in Georgia. They are denoted by the prefix á¡ (Georgian for S), which stands for "á¡áÂÂáÂÂá áÂÂáÂÂá¨áÂÂá áÂÂá¡á áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¨áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¡ áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂ" (Saertashoriso mnishvnelobis gza, road of international importance). Direction and destination signs in Georgia are in both Georgian and Latin scripts, but the prefix is only displayed in Georgian. Article 3.3 of the law on motor roads defines that:
The network of S trunk roads has a total length of approximately which is mostly built as two-lane highway. About kilometers of the central east-west S1 and a limited section of the S12 has been upgraded to expressway or motorway with two lanes in each direction. The S4 and S5 trunk routes also have multiple lanes over a limited length.
The S1 and S10 are partially located in South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, over which the Georgian government exercises no authority. At the de facto boundary lines the roads are closed in both directions.
The "roads of domestic importance" are the second category of main roads in Georgia with a total length of and connect vital economic, administrative and cultural centers. They are denoted by the prefix ᨠ(Georgian for Sh), which stands for "á¨áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¡áÂÂá®áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá¤áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá áÂÂáÂÂá áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¨áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¡ áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂ" (ShidasakhelmtsâÂÂipoebrivi mnishvnelobis gza, "road of domestic importance"). The use of the road numbers on direction signs is inconsistent and varies widely, including on trunk Sh roads. The vast majority of routes is relatively short, but some are up to nearly long with an interregional function. Article 3.4 of the law on motor roads defines roads of domestic importance as:
The quality of Sh-roads varies from excellent to very poor. Since 2006 however, priority has been given to improve regional connections, which has accelerated from 2014 onwards. The quality of the regional road network improves over the years, but large parts remain in mediocre, poor and/or unpaved condition and suffer from harsh climatic conditions, especially in the mountainous areas. The infamous "road to Omalo" (Sh44) to Tusheti National Park is the most extreme example of that.
The tables above are based on the 2022 published list of roads by the Government of Georgia.