Editing Transport in Albania (section)

=== Road ===

[[File:Speed-limits-ALB.svg|220px|thumb|right|The speed limit table of Albania.]][[File:Autostrada_Durr%C3%ABs-Morina-04.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Scene on [[A1 motorway (Albania)|A1 Motorway]] linking Albania with Kosovo, and the Adriatic Sea with the Albania Alps.]]

The overwhelming majority of roads in the country are owned and maintained by state and local governments. In recent years, a major road construction spree took place on the main state roads of Albania, involving the construction of new roadways, putting of contemporary signs, planting of trees, and related greening projects. Works on most highways are completed, though they remained unfinished between 2011 and 2013 as per lack of funds.

After the fall of communism in 1991, Albania began to revamp its primitive road infrastructure by building the first highway in Albania, SH2 connecting Tirane with Durrës. Since the 2000s, main roadways have drastically improved, though lacking standards in design and road safety.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dsdc.gov.al/dsdc/pub/strategjia_sektoriale_e_transportit_165_1.pdf |title=Strategjia sektoriale e transportit | language=sq | trans-title=Sectoral transport strategy |access-date=2015-06-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520122845/http://www.dsdc.gov.al/dsdc/pub/strategjia_sektoriale_e_transportit_165_1.pdf |archive-date=2013-05-20 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTALBANIA/Resources/Albania_National_Transport_Plan.pdf | title=Albania – national transport plan - phase 2 study phase | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607015603/http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTALBANIA/Resources/Albania_National_Transport_Plan.pdf | archive-date=2019-06-07}}</ref>

At present, major cities are linked with either new single/dual carriageways or well maintained roads. There is a dual carriageway connecting the port city of [[Durrës]] with [[Tirana]], [[Vlorë]], and partially [[Kukës]]. There are three official motorway segments in Albania: Thumanë-Milot-Rrëshen-Kalimash (A1), Levan-Vlorë (A2), and partly Tirane-Elbasan (A3). Most rural segments continue to remain in bad conditions as their reconstruction has only begun in the late 2000s by the Albanian Development Fund.<ref name=AboutADF>{{cite web|title=About ADF|url=http://www.albaniandf.org/english/rreth_nesh/Pages/default.html|website=albaniandf.org|publisher=Albanian Development Fund|access-date=21 January 2016|archive-date=30 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130045408/http://www.albaniandf.org/english/rreth_nesh/Pages/default.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* Total: 18,000&nbsp;km
** Paved: 12,920&nbsp;km
** Unpaved: 5,080&nbsp;km (2002 est.)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pd.al/arritjet/investimet-publike/ |title=Investimet Publike « Partia Demokratike e Shqiperise |access-date=2009-06-19 |archive-date=2013-05-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509024417/http://pd.al/arritjet/investimet-publike/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
''country comparison to the world:'' 118

All roads are property of [http://www.arrsh.gov.al Albanian Road Authority] (''Autoriteti Rrugor Shqiptar'', former Drejtoria e Përgjithshme e Rrugëve) and maintained by Ndërmarrja Shtetërore Rruga-Ura. The government plans to create some [[toll highway]]s in the near future. Albanian [[bitumen]] from Selenicë in Southern Albania is well known for its quality as it has been used on some European motorways.
  
==== Motorways ====
{{Main|Motorways in Albania}}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;"
! width=80 | Motorway
! County
! Length
! Description
! Cities
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Autostrada_A1_Albania.svg|30px|alt=|link=A1 (Albania)]]  
| [[Durrës County|Durrës]], [[Tirana County|Tirana]], [[Lezhë County|Lezhë]], [[Kukës County|Kukës]]
| {{convert|114|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| The A1 ({{langx|sq|Autostrada A1}}) is a four [[traffic lane]] motorway spanning {{convert|114|km|mi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="A1alb">{{cite web|title=MILOT – MORINE HIGHWAY PROJECT REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION|url=http://businesshungary.gov.hu/download/4/b8/51000/RFQ_Milot-Morine%20Re-tender_V1_ENG.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://businesshungary.gov.hu/download/4/b8/51000/RFQ_Milot-Morine%20Re-tender_V1_ENG.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|website=businesshungary.gov.hu|page=8|language=en}}</ref> The motorway is the only toll motorway in Albania and connects the [[Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast]] at [[Durrës]] in the southwest with the [[Albanian Alps]] at [[Morinë]] in the northeast. It forms part of the [[European route E851]], planned [[Adriatic–Ionian motorway]], and [[Pan-European Corridor X]].<ref>{{cite web |author1=United Nations Economic Commission for Europe |author-link=United Nations Economic Commission for Europe |title=European Agreement on Main International Traffic Arteries |url=http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2002/sc1agr/TRANS-SC1-AC5-2002-03e.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2002/sc1agr/TRANS-SC1-AC5-2002-03e.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |website=unece.org |access-date=26 April 2011 |language=en }}</ref>
| align="center" | [[Durrës]], [[Laç]], [[Lezhë]], [[Rrëshen]], [[Kukës]]
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Autostrada_A2_Albania.svg|30px|alt=|link=A2 (Albania)|A2]] 
| [[Fier County|Fier]], [[Vlorë County|Vlorë]]
| {{convert|46.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| The A2 ({{langx|sq|Autostrada A2}}) is a four [[traffic lane]] motorway, spanning {{convert|46.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The motorway connects [[Fier]] in the north and [[Vlorë]] in the south. It will form part of the [[Adriatic–Ionian motorway]].
| align="center" | [[Fier]], [[Vlorë]] 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Autostrada_A3_Albania.svg|30px|alt=|link=A3 (Albania)|A3]] 
| [[Tirana County|Tirana]], [[Elbasan County|Elbasan]] 
| {{convert|31.2|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| The A3 ({{langx|sq|Autostrada A3}}) is a four [[traffic lane]] motorway, spanning {{convert|31|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The motorway connects [[Tirana]] in the northwest and [[Elbasan]] in the southeast. It will form part of the [[Pan-European Corridor VIII]].  
| align="center" | [[Tirana]], [[Elbasan]]
|}

==== Expressways ====
{{Main|Highways in Albania#Expressways|l1=Expressways in Albania}}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;"
! width=80 | Expressway
! County
! Length
! Description
! Cities 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:SH1-AL.svg|30px|alt=|link=SH 1 (Albania)]]  
| [[Durrës County|Durrës]], [[Lezhë County|Lezhë]], [[Shkodër County|Shkodër]], [[Tirana County|Tirana]]
| {{convert|125|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| The SH 1 ({{langx|sq|Rruga Shtetërore SH 1}}) is an expressway, spanning {{convert|125|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The expressway connects [[Montenegro]] across the [[Counties of Albania|counties]] of [[Shkodër County|Shkodër]], [[Lezhë County|Lezhë]], [[Durrës County|Durrës]] and [[Tirana County|Tirana]] to the capital of [[Tirana]]. It is currently part of the [[European routes]] [[European route E762|E762]] and [[European route E851|E851]] and will form part of the [[Adriatic–Ionian motorway]].
| align="center" | [[Fushë-Krujë]], [[Koplik]], [[Laç]], [[Lezhë]], [[Shkodër]], [[Tirana]] 
|-
|align="center"|[[File:SH2-AL.svg|30px|alt=|link=SH 2 (Albania)]]  
|[[Durrës County|Durrës]], [[Tirana County|Tirana]]
|{{convert|33|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|The SH 2 ({{langx|sq|Rruga Shtetërore SH 2}}) is an expressway, spanning {{convert|33|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The expressway connects the capital [[Tirana]] across the [[Counties of Albania|counties]] of [[Durrës County|Durrës]] and [[Tirana County|Tirana]] to the second largest city of [[Durrës]]. It is currently part of the [[European route E762]].
|align="center"|[[Durrës]], [[Tirana]] 
|-
|align="center"|[[File:SH3-AL.svg|30px|alt=|link=Highways in Albania]]  
|[[Elbasan County|Elbasan]], [[Korçë County|Korçë]], [[Tirana County|Tirana]]
|{{convert|151|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|The SH 3 ({{langx|sq|Rruga Shtetërore SH 3}}) is an expressway, spanning {{convert|151|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The expressway connects [[Greece]] across the [[Counties of Albania|counties]] of [[Elbasan County|Elbasan]], [[Korçë County|Korçë]], and [[Tirana County|Tirana]] to the capital [[Tirana]]. It is currently part of the [[European routes]] [[European route E86|E86]] and [[European route E852|E852]].
|align="center"|[[Elbasan]], [[Korçë]], [[Librazhd]], [[Pogradec]], [[Tirana]] 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:SH4-AL.svg|30px|alt=|link=]]  
| [[Durrës County|Durrës]], [[Fier County|Fier]], [[Gjirokastër County|Gjirokastër]], [[Tirana County|Tirana]]
| {{convert|215|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| The SH 4 ({{langx|sq|Rruga Shtetërore SH 4}}) is an expressway, spanning {{convert|215|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The expressway connects [[Durrës]] across the [[Counties of Albania|counties]] of [[Elbasan County|Elbasan]], [[Korçë County|Korçë]], and [[Tirana County|Tirana]] to [[Greece]]. It is currently part of the [[European route E853]] and will form part of the [[Adriatic–Ionian motorway]].
| align="center" | [[Durrës]], [[Fier]], [[Gjirokastër]], [[Lushnjë]], [[Rogozhina]], [[Tepelenë]] 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:SH7-AL.svg|30px|alt=|link=Highways in Albania]]  
| [[Elbasan County|Elbasan]], [[Tirana County|Tirana]]
| {{convert|40.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| The SH 7 ({{langx|sq|Rruga Shtetërore SH 7}}) is an expressway, spanning {{convert|40.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The expressway connects [[Rogozhina]] across the [[Counties of Albania|counties]] of [[Elbasan County|Elbasan]] and [[Tirana County|Tirana]] to [[Elbasan]]. It is currently part of the [[Pan-European Corridor VIII]].
| align="center" | [[Elbasan]], [[Peqin]], [[Rogozhina]]
|-
| align="center" | [[File:SH8-AL.svg|30px|alt=|link=SH 8 (Albania)]]  
| [[Fier County|Fier]], [[Vlorë County|Vlorë]] 
| {{convert|148|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| The SH 8 ({{langx|sq|Rruga Shtetërore SH 8}}) is an expressway, spanning {{convert|148|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The expressway connects [[Fier]] across the [[Counties of Albania|counties]] of [[Fier County|Fier]], [[Vlorë County|Vlorë]] to [[Sarandë]].
| align="center" | [[Fier]], [[Himara]], [[Sarandë]], [[Vlorë]]
|-
| align="center" | [[File:SH9-AL.svg|30px|alt=|link=Highways in Albania]]  
| [[Elbasan County|Elbasan]] 
| {{convert|3.2|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| The SH 9 ({{langx|sq|Rruga Shtetërore SH 9}}) is an expressway, spanning {{convert|3.2|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The expressway connects [[Qafë Thanë]] across the [[Counties of Albania|county]] of [[Elbasan County|Elbasan]] to [[North Macedonia]]. It is currently part of the [[European route E852]].
| align="center" | –
|}

==== Corridors ====

The realisation of the [[Adriatic–Ionian motorway|Adriatic–Ionian Corridor]], that is expected to connect all the region from the northwest to the southwest of the [[Balkan Peninsula]], is considered one of the most important infrastructure projects of Albania.<ref name="STRATEGY OF TRANSPORT"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Albania, Montenegro Flag Up Adriatic Highway |url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albania-keen-on-adriatic-ionian-highway-01-28-2016 |website=balkaninsight.com |language=en |date=28 January 2016 |quote=Albanian officials say the highway that will connect the Adriatic with the Ionian sea is one of the most important regional infrastructural projects that it is putting into effect.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Ministria për Europën dhe Punët e Jashtme |author-link=Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (Albania) |title=THE FIRST INTERGOVERNMENTAL MEETING ALBANIA-MONTENEGRO SHKODRA, 3 JULY 2018 |url=http://punetejashtme.gov.al/en/takimi-i-pare-nderqeveritar-shqiperi-mali-i-zi-shkoder-3-korrik-2018/ |website=punetejashtme.gov.al |language=en |quote=PM highlighted some of the most important issues and projects which affect not only bilaterally but also regionally: the Adriatic-Ionian Highway}}</ref> The corridor is planned to follow the routes of the [[SH 1 (Albania)|SH1]], [[SH 2 (Albania)|SH2]], SH4 expressways and the [[A1 (Albania)|A1]] motorway nonetheless the country has mostly completed its corridor section and significant constructions are still in progress such as the highway between Thumana and [[Kashar]] as well as the [[Bypass (road)|bypass]]es of [[Gjirokastër]], [[Lezhë]], [[Tepelenë]] and [[Tirana]].<ref name="STRATEGY OF TRANSPORT"/>
{{Clear}}