Almost 40 kilometres of motorways and expressways are expected to be constructed around Košice in eastern Slovakia by 2021. The completion of the cross-country D1 stretch Budimír-Bidovce should be completed by 2020, while the R2 expressway stretch from Košice, Šaca to Košické Olšany is expected to be constructed in 2021, the TASR newswire reported.
Both stretches are linked together and they will complete the south-east bypass of the city of Košice, which will lift the burden on the city of transit heading to Ukraine, Hungary, Prešov and Rožňava (Košice Region).
As for the Budimír-Bidovce section, the construction company Skanska SK won the competition. It was picked from five bids, after submitting the lowest price of €197.4 million for 15.46 kilometres of motorway. The National Highway Company (NDS) had originally expected to pay €209.4 million for this stretch.
“I expect that we will sign a contract with the winning bidder within a few weeks,” said Róbert Auxt (Sieť), head of NDS, as quoted by TASR. “Initial construction work could begin sometime in November. Everything is ready, we have a construction permit and construction plans. We’re waiting only for an Environmental Impact Assessment study.”
Regarding the second stretch, a competition will be launched by the end of this year.
“We’re mainly focusing on saving money and especially on saving time,” Auxt said, as quoted by TASR. “Our biggest interest is to begin with the construction as soon as possible.”
NDS wants to conclude the tender in 2017 and begin the construction work in 2018.
Moreover in the first half of June, Auxt issued an order to restore the purchase of land for the Kosice, Šaca – Košické Olšany stretch, which had been halted by the former NDS leadership. There is still around 12 percent of land that is left to be bought, said Auxt. Both stretches will be financed from EU funds and the state budget. TASR wrote.
