Highway Law covers the legal regulation of the design, construction, maintenance, and use of motor roads in Georgia. This field is particularly relevant for companies implementing infrastructure projects, as well as businesses using road infrastructure for commercial purposes (e.g., transporting oversized cargo or placing roadside facilities). Georgia is actively developing its road network (e.g., the East-West Highway), which increases the demand for qualified legal services related to public procurement, land acquisition, and construction permits.
Highway law specialists offer clients a wide range of services ensuring full compliance with legislation. Key areas include:
- Construction permits: Obtaining permits necessary for the construction of roads and road structures and agreeing on design documentation.
- Public procurement: Legal support for participation in tenders announced by the Roads Department or municipalities.
- Oversized cargo: Obtaining special permits for transporting super-normative (heavy or oversized) cargo.
- Roadside infrastructure: Permits for placing objects (gas stations, advertisements) within the road right-of-way and regulation of red lines.
- Expropriation and compensation: Ensuring fair compensation when private property is seized for road construction.
- Dispute resolution: Disputes regarding construction deadlines, poor quality performance, or damage to infrastructure due to traffic accidents.
Real-world scenarios where a highway law lawyer is needed are diverse. For example, a construction company won a tender for road rehabilitation but encountered problems with the population at the land acquisition stage — here, a lawyer is essential to manage negotiations and the expropriation process. In another case, a logistics company wants to transport a large turbine from a port to a hydro power plant; this requires route agreement and a special permit, without which the cargo will be fined and halted. Disputes are also common when a vehicle is damaged due to poor road surface, and the owner demands compensation from the road owner (the state or municipality).
In Georgia, this field is regulated by the "Law of Georgia on Motor Roads," which defines road classification and usage rules. Regarding construction, the "Code on Spatial Planning, Architectural and Construction Activities" applies. Public procurement procedures are based on the "Law on State Procurement." Administrative liability for violating road usage rules (e.g., driving an overloaded vehicle) is outlined in the "Administrative Offences Code." Also important are the normative acts of the "Roads Department of Georgia."
The process of working with a lawyer involves preliminary project assessment and risk analysis. In construction projects, the lawyer checks land status and contract conditions. When obtaining a permit, the specialist prepares the application and manages communication with the patrol police and the Roads Department. In case of disputes, the lawyer collects expert reports and represents the client's interests in court. This ensures that the project is not delayed by bureaucratic reasons and the client is protected from financial loss.
Legal.ge gives you the opportunity to find qualified experts in highway law. Lawyers registered on our platform will help you with legal support for both large infrastructure projects and local road disputes. Professional involvement is a guarantee that your activities will be in full compliance with Georgian legislation. Use Legal.ge and get quality legal services easily and quickly.
Updated: ...
