Hubova–Ivachnova D1-motorway Section Officially Opened on Monday

  Ruzomberok, 5 October (TASR) - The National Highway Company (NDS) officially opened the Hubova–Ivachnova D1-motorway section, known as the Ruzomberok bypass, to traffic on Monday.
        Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee), Transport Ministry State Secretary Igor Choma and representatives of the contractors officially cut the ribbon at the eastern entrance to the Cebrat tunnel. The first motorists will be able to drive along the nearly 15-kilometre section in the evening.
        Drivers will be able to use the Ruzomberok bypass without a valid motorway vignette. "The importance of this almost 15-kilometre motorway section between Hubova and Ivachnova is indisputable. It's the penultimate section of motorway between Bratislava and Kosice that motorists have been waiting for. For drivers travelling from one end of Slovakia to the other, it will mean saving several tens of minutes during peak hours," stated Raz.
        The section will connect seamlessly to the Liptov stretch of the D1 motorway near Ivachnova. It will relieve the inhabitants of Ruzomberok of heavy traffic, smog and noise from transit transport.
        "Demanding geological conditions complicated the situation for us, particularly near Likavka (Zilina region), where we had to deal with an area prone to landslides. However, the safety of drivers and the structural integrity of the bridge were key factors for us. As with our other construction projects, these areas will continue to be monitored," said NDS general director Filip Machacek.        
        The newly opened section includes 19 bridges, three junctions and the 3.6-kilometre Cebrat Tunnel. The project is directly connected to the planned D1 Turany-Hubova section towards Martin.