THE D1 freeway in the Žilina region will be built as originally planned, Slovak Transport, Posts, and Telecommunication Minister Ľubomír Vážny said at a press conference on January 22.
The ministry, together with the National Highway Company (NDS), considered the possibility of building the northern route of the highway above Žilina, however, in the end they decided to follow the original project plan.
Thus, some 25 kilometres of the highway will go south of Žilina through Hričovské Podhradie, Lietavská Lúčka, Višňnové, and Dubná Skala.
"We are going to follow the plan for highway and motorway construction in Slovakia and make it even more dynamic," Vážny said, adding that "according to estimates, the capacity of the D1 highway in the Žilina region in 2008-2009 will reach approximately 30,000 vehicles a day, which will require some provisional measures in the process of its completion."
Vážny added that "The northern route, which has been under consideration by the ministry, may look more effective at the moment but its construction would result in a delay of five or more years."
According to the current plan, the highway should be ready by 2012.
