A major project to build 13.5 km of the new D1 motorway in Slovakia will provide a bypass of the city of Žilina and help to develop a direct connection between the country’s capital, Bratislava, and the Ukrainian border. The scheme includes construction of the largest tunnel in Slovakia.
New stretch of D1 motorway in Slovakia between Lietavská Lúčka – Višňové – Dubná Skala
- 10 May 2019
The new section of dual carriageway between Lietavská Lúčka – Višňové – Dubná Skala covers mountainous territory in the districts of Žilina and Martin. This is phase 2 of the scheme and largely concerns work to line and complete boring of the new 7.5 km-long Višňové tunnel, plus construction of bridges and pavements. The Višňové will become the longest tunnel in Slovakia.
This section of the D1 connects the motorway sections Hričovské Podhradie to Lietavská Lúčka and Višňové to Dubná Skala. The entire D1 dual carriageway runs from Bratislava via Žilina and Košice to the border with the Ukraine. The two sections, Hričovské Podhradie to Lietavská Lúčka and Lietavská Lúčka – Višňové – Dubná Skala will together introduce the southern motorway bypass of Žilina.
Reducing bottlenecks
This project received backing from the EU’s Cohesion Fund under the country’s Integrated Infrastructure Operational Programme. One of the programme’s key objectives is to improve Slovakia’s road infrastructure. The aim is to eliminate bottlenecks while providing a sustainable and cost-effective road and motorway network which improves safety, while reducing the socioeconomic and environmental impact of road transport.
Improving the road network also aims at increasing the mobility of Slovakian and European citizens. The network this project covers forms part of the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). Investments through TEN-T improve transport infrastructures across Europe so that people and goods can move more easily in and between member states.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “D1 Lietavská Lúčka – Višňové – Dubná Skala, phase II” is EUR 504 658 018 , with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 312 100 752 through the “Integrated Infrastructure” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Transport and energy networks”.