NDS: New Bypass around Kosice Already Used by 500,000 Vehicles

Kosice, 5 December (TASR) - The new 14-kilometre section of the expressway near Kosice has been used by some half a million vehicles in about two months, with freight transport making up a major portion of this, the National Highway Company (NDS) reported on Friday. According to NDS, the new expressway bypass has diverted up to 90 percent of transit freight traffic away from Kosice, with some 3,000 heavy lorries using it on a daily basis. NDS handed over the Kosice, Saca-Kosicke Olsany section of the road for drivers to use on 24 September. "Diverting transit traffic from city and town centres is an investment that pays off twice. First of all, it increases the comfort and safety of drivers. At the same time, every single vehicle that avoids urban areas increases the safety and quality of everyday life of the city residents," said Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee). NDS specified that the Kosice bypass is currently used by an average of over 9,600 vehicles on workdays, with cars making up some 69 percent of this, or 6,600 vehicles per day. The remaining 31 percent is freight traffic, or 3,000 lorries per day. "We recorded the highest daily intensity on 27 October, when up to 10,500 vehicles used the bypass. A significant portion would otherwise have to pass through Kosice. In practice, this would mean more noise and air pollution in populated areas of the city," stated NDS general director Filip Machacek. The Kosice bypass is one of the biggest investments made in road infrastructure in Kosice region in recent time. The new section is interconnected with R4 and D1 stretches, allowing drivers to bypass the city on the south-eastern side. The section plays an important role primarily for transit transport towards Hungary or, conversely, from Hungary to Presov. The bypass was partly financed from EU funds - from the Integrated Infrastructure Operational Programme and the Slovakia Programme. ko/df