THE CONSTRUCTION of a stretch of the D1 cross-country highway near Ružomberok, in Žilina Region, has started with Transport Minister Ján Počiatek ceremonially laying the foundation stone on February 11.
The more than 15-kilometre-long section of highway between Hubová and Ivachnová will be built by a consortium of companies, including Váhostav-SK and OHL ŽS from the Czech Republic, for €227.26 million without VAT, compared to the originally expected €465.71 million without VAT. This bid was the fourth cheapest in the tender, the TASR newswire reported.
The new road should reduce traffic through Ružomberok and save drivers up to 10 minutes. The National Highway Company (NDS) also expects that it will reduce the number of accidents on the old road through the nearby villages, the SITA newswire wrote.
Construction will last three and half years and will be financed from EU structural funds. The Transport Ministry plans to divide it into two phases so it will be funded from both the current and new programming budget, as reported by SITA.
Source: TASR, SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
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