The Fričovce – Svinia project is a 11.217 km section of the D1 motorway built in the north-eastern Slovakian region of Prešov to improve the connection, safety, economy, as well as the environment of its municipalities.
- 31 August 2016
As an important part of the backbone motorway network of the Slovak Republic, the D1 Fričovce - Svinia project has decreased traffic intensity in residential areas, creating safer conditions for the circulation of heavy vehicles.
The project connects the west side of the municipality of Fričovce with the intersection located in the town of Svinia, where the road joins the motorway D1 Svinia - Prešov west. As part of the EU’s Rhine-Danube TEN-T corridor, the main objectives of the section are to provide a safer, faster and more economic way to connect the western, central and eastern regions of Slovakia, as well as the capital city Bratislava with the Ukraine border.
The road section represents a high capacity road, ensuring an easier access to the Prešov region and supporting the country’s economy within the framework of the EU’s regional convergence policy.
The project aims to improve road safety. It also aims to reduce driving time, operating and maintenance costs and the negative traffic impact on the environment. The motorway section has a surface of 200 737 m2. Along the roadway there are 15 bridges, which have a combined length of 2 793 m.
Enhancing road safety and environment in the region
The improvement of the traffic flow has been one of the key objectives of the project. As a result of the construction of the 11.217 km long section, traffic flow has been diverted from the existing single carriage regional road, which used to cope with heavy goods traffic, to the motorway section. The project represents a significant reduction of the high volume of regional and intraregional traffic from existing roads, which have now been relieved from regional and intraregional transport.
The section has also notably created better conditions for the circulation of heavy vehicles and has reduced the negative environmental impact. The I/18 regional road crosses through many villages and residential areas, which was causing a high number of accidents and traffic jams. Noise and emissions generated by intensive traffic have significantly been reduced as a result of diversion of a substantial portion of traffic to the new motorway. A total of 3 506 m of noise protection walls was build along the motorway.
Boosting regional economy
Section D1 Fričovce - Svinia represents the second longest connected part of the D1, which is about 120 km long from the district of Ružomberok to Prešov. The project has also provided a safer and faster way to reach the regions of the country by road. Its specific achievements include connecting Slovakia’s citizens via the core highway between Bratislava and Košice, which is a key element for development of the country, and reducing the driving time from the capital city Bratislava to the Prešov region by approximately nine minutes.
Previously existing roads were not designed to handle the high traffic intensity of heavy goods vehicles passing through the area, resulting in very high operational and maintenance costs. The new section will reduce this cost.
It has also cut travel time for drivers. As well as providing direct connections between towns and municipalities, the project has also facilitated the access to tourist destinations, including the High Tatra Mountains, and the Levoča, Košice and the Spiš and Liptov regions.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “D1 Motorway, Section Fričovce - Svinia” is EUR 179 132 847, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 71 288 117, 05 through the “Transport” Operational Programme for the 2007-2013 programming period.