Bechtel-ENKA JV Completes Kosovo Motorway as Centerpiece of Regional Economic Growth

Bechtel and joint-venture partner ENKA have completed the construction of Kosovo Motorway Route 6, a 40-mile, four-lane motorway that stretches from the country’s capital, Pristina, to North Macedonia. The new route, which is now open to traffic and reduces travel in half to 45 minutes, forms a key part of Kosovo’s national roads network intended to boost trade and connectivity with its neighbors and Western Europe.

Route 6 adds to Route 7, which also was built by a Bechtel-ENKA team and runs from Morina on the Albanian border to the north of Pristina. Together, the two motorways will connect to Corridor X, a major pan-European transport passage that runs between Salzburg in Austria and Thessaloniki in Greece, and passes through Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia. This new interconnectivity is aimed at unleashing trade opportunities across these countries.

At its peak, the Route 6 project was the largest employer in Kosovo, and 80% of the 3,350-person workforce were Kosovan; 70% percent of subcontracted work was awarded to local contractors. Local employees received almost 100,000 hours of training that provided them with new skills to use on future projects.