Pociatek: D3 Section Svrcinovec-Skalite to Be Finished this Year
Svrcinovec/Visnove, February 25 (TASR) – The construction of a 12-kilometre section of the D3 motorway Svrcinovec-Skalite (Zilina region) is going according to schedule and will open by the end of the year, announced Transport, Construction and Regional Development Minister Jan Pociatek on Thursday on site.
“The section is one of the most difficult ones, as the vast majority of the road involves a bridges and a tunnel,” said Pociatek. “It features an 84-metre high bridge, making it the highest bridge in Slovakia and reportedly in central Europe,” said Pociatek.
Pociatek added that the tender for the adjacent section – Cadca, Bukov-Svrcinovec – is in its final stage. “We assume that when the comment phase is finished, construction can start this year. The D3 is undoubtedly our priority, many sections are being constructed and others are being prepared for tenders. We have moved significantly forward, but it’s also obvious that this will take a couple of years. With every such section we are closer to the completion of the D3,” said Pociatek.
National Highway Company (NDS) general director Milan Gajdos pointed out that the aforementioned section along with adjacent section Skalite-Polish border will be about 15.5 km long altogether. “The investment on this section is nearly €330 million,” said Gajdos.
According to Gajdos, travelling on the section will take half the time when compared to current first class road. Gajdos said that drivers will save about nine minutes and will be able to drive on the section more comfortably and safely.
Pociatek also visited Visnove Tunnel, which is under construction on the D1 motorway section Lietavska Lucka-Dubna Skala (Zilina region), where workers have completed two kilometres out of the total 15 kilometres – including two tunnels in both directions.
“The good news is that everything is on schedule,” said Pociatek, adding that the tunnel will be completely dug through by the end of 2017 and the section will be open to the public by the end of 2019.
With the length of 7,520 metres, Visnove Tunnel will be the longest road tunnel in Slovakia and after its completion and opening it will be a part of southern part of the Zilina bypass.
