Work of reconstruction of the section of Via Baltica from Marijampolė to the Polish border is being started
Today, a capsule was buried in the kilometre 76 of the highway A4 Kaunas-Marijampolė-Suwałki, which is part of the international Via Baltica highway. This capsule marks the symbolic beginning of the reconstruction of one section of this road from the kilometre 72.50 to the kilometre 79. This section is planned to be reconstructed into four lanes, and the first in the country “green bridge” (for animal migration), a tunnel passage, intersection, connecting roads and other road elements are planned to be equipped. It is planned that the construction work in this section will be completed in the autumn next year. The value of the contract is about 55.8 million euros.
“The European Via Baltica highway is one of the most intensive transit traffic roads in Lithuania. Most goods are carried by this road. Our aim is to ensure that it is comfortable and safe for all travellers, that it meets the highest traffic organisation and safety requirements for the international road network. Upon completion of the reconstruction of the entire 40-km-section, it will be possible to drive comfortably, safely and quickly on this highway from Kaunas through Marijampolė to the Polish border and then to Warsaw“, – says Marius Skuodis, Minister of Transport and Communications.
Via Baltica is one of the most important roads in our country. It connects the Baltic countries with Poland and other European countries. This road is a strategically important connection for Lithuanian and international road communication. Therefore, the modernization of this road is one of the priority projects of the communication infrastructure of the country. Currently, most of the section of Via Baltica from Marijampolė to the Polish border has only two lanes. Therefore, after the traffic volume has increased, especially of goods vehicles, the traffic conditions on this road are complicated. After completion of the reconstruction work, this road will become not only more modern, but also safer”, – says Remigijus Lipkevičius, director of the SE Lithuanian Road Administration.
Traffic on this 40-km-section of Via Baltica is one of the most intensive in Lithuania – the average annual daily traffic volume here is up to 10 thousand cars per day, even up 60 percent of them is the goods transport.
These days, the works contract of another section of Via Baltica from the kilometre 79 to the kilometre 85 has already been signed. Also, upon completion of design, public procurement procedures are also planned to be launched this year for the section from the kilometre 56.83 to the kilometre 72.50. The public procurement procedures for the fourth section of this highway from the kilometre 85 to the kilometre 97.06 are planned to be launched at the end of this year – in the first half of 2023.
The completion of the contract work for the entire section of Via Baltica of the total length of about 40 km (from the kilometre 56.83 to the kilometre 97.06) is planned for December 2024, which is two years earlier than planned.
After the reconstruction of the section of Via Baltica from Marijampolė to the Polish border, it will meet the international standards of infrastructure safety and traffic organisation.