Raz: Opening of D1 Visnove Tunnel Set to Resolve Major Transport Bottleneck

Bratislava, 27 December (TASR) – The opening of the D1 Lietavska Lucka–Dubna Skala motorway section via the Visnove tunnel could definitively resolve one of Slovakia's biggest transport problems, according to Transport Minister Jozef Raz (nominee of Smer-SD). "The time saving when travelling through the Visnove tunnel will be on the order of tens of minutes compared with the current route through Strecno," Raz has told TASR in a year-end interview. When the D1 section with the Visnove tunnel was officially handed over on 22 December, the minister admitted on social media that he had been looking forward to this day the most since taking office. He described it as the nicest Christmas gift for motorists. "This cursed rock — the biggest transport scar in Slovakia has finally been healed. I believe motorists will experience many happy kilometres here and appreciate that the hours they often spent in traffic jams near Strecno are once and for all behind us," Raz said. As the minister further told TASR, motorway bypasses of Tvrdosin and Kosice were also opened this year, as well as the R2 section Krivan–Mytna. "We also managed to complete tenders for all three missing sections of the Kysuce D3 motorway and sign contracts with contractors. We even managed to lay the foundation stone on one section, specifically the part with the second tube of the Horelica tunnel," Raz pointed out. "In this way, we are keeping the promise we made – to kickstart construction in Slovakia," he noted. According to the minister, the benefits of newly built motorway sections have became apparent almost immediately since they were put into operation. The most significant effect is the shift of transit freight traffic away from towns and villages, as well as from lower-category roads. In rail transport, a major project from the Recovery and Resilience Plan was completed this year, namely the electrification of the Banovce nad Ondavou–Humenne line. Recently, the modernised railway line between Cadca and the border with the Czech Republic was also handed over. "The comprehensive reconstruction of the railway section between Devinska Nova Ves and Marchegg has also been completed, strengthening cross-border connections between Slovakia and Austria. We now also have an electrified section from Haniska to Moldava nad Bodvou," Raz added. The minister described the launch of the Bratislava–Kosice air route as a major achievement, noting its strong popularity. "We are pleased that after six years we have once again managed to introduce this fast and safe connection between our two largest cities," the transport minister added. mf