With the help of EU funds, a badly shaped and overused part of the transregional I/44 road crossing the Jeseníky mountain range in the north-east Czech Republic has been modified to make it safer for motorists.
- 26 August 2020
Ecological aspects were taken into account when designing the road, as it is located in the centre of the Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area. Another important factor was the obligation to ensure full use of the reconstructed section of the road in winter, i.e. from November to March.
In particular, the section between the towns of Kouty nad Desnou and Červenohorské sedlo was reconstructed. Modifications were made to a stretch of 7.9 km, over a height of 400 m. This important and busy road leads up to Červenohorské sedlo and its adjacent mountain resort and has many large curves, hairpin bends and steep climbs.
Bringing the I/44 up to standard
The curves and hairpin curves were widened so that the road complies with dimensions laid down for Czech transregional category roads. The old road’s outdated and improperly functioning drainage system that caused the road to crack and cave in was renewed completely.
At altitude, along the ledge of the mountain, there was not enough space to create a third lane. As an alternative, overtaking sections were built along three sections of the road by extending the right lane to 5.5 m for 1 km. The modified road now has new steel crash barriers for most of its length, to help minimise the impact of accidents. New road indicators and directional columns were installed to comply with Czech technical road standards.
The left turn onto the parking lot of the Červenohorské sedlo hotel was modified as well, allowing for a safer road crossing by waiting vehicles. Two bus stops along the reconstructed road were renovated, in addition to a connection between the I/44 and a forest road leading to a resort. To avoid having to close access to the resort, work was done in several stages.
Modernising access to important tourist destinations
The modification of the road to Červenohorské sedlo follows a first phase of work in 2008, during which the northern side of the road was rebuilt. Together, these projects contributed to the homogenisation of the road between the towns of Šumperk and Jeseník. Reconstruction of these more remote parts of the I/44 has facilitated maintenance during winter.
The I/44 is the only transregional road in the Czech Republic that goes as high as 1 013 m. It connects large towns in the Šumperk district of the Olomouc region with the country’s central regions and Poland in the north. Passing through the Jeseníky mountain range, the I/44 is the only road that leads to several important mountain resorts, which are important destinations for winter sport tourism.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Road I 44 Červenohorské sedlo-jih” is EUR 11 443 232, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 9 726 747 through the “Transport” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The project falls under the priority “Jobs, growth and investment.”