New North South Highway in Kyrgyzstan
 

A second asphalt route from North to South in Kyrgyzstan is just a year or so from being completed. It will be asphalt, but knowing some of the terrain it passes thru, it will be spectacular. Apart from upgrading a whole bunch of existing sections of road, they are cutting almost 100 km of new road thru uninhabited terrain. So it will be photogenic ... and includes a 4km long tunnel up at 2700m (tunnelling under a 3400m peak). Called the Alternate North South Highway, or China Road (its being built and financed by the Chinese), its due to be completed in 2021.

https://gokg.asia/home/2018/8/26/nor...KTl5CAwpjFsWFk

Here is an attached a GPX track of the new sections.

Indeed, the roadsigns are already there, although nobody tells you it's a dead end... :oops2:

https://www.overlandaventure.com/wp-...h-corridor.jpg

It's a beautiful ride in the Naryn river canyon (the stretch from Min Kush to Kazarman), but still missing a few bridges...

We met a couple elderly Swedish guys in a landcruiser who wanted to go to Kazarman from Jalalabad. They just followed the new road until the end... and were told by the Chinese that the road is still in construction so they turned back to the main road and were driving to Bishkek instead... doh The turn-off to the Kaldaman pass gravel road is not marked at all so it's pretty easy to miss.

Note that the road does serve one useful purpose, easy access to the Saimalu Tash park entrance from Kazarman.