Raz: Preparation of R4 from Presov to Polish Border Has Progressed Significantly

Presov, 27 April (TASR) - An extension of the R4 expressway to the border with Poland is a significant step closer to becoming a reality, Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) stated on Monday, adding that a good deal of progress has been made in terms of preparing this important route. The National Highway Company (NDS) has advanced the preparatory process for dozens of new kilometres of the expressway from the town of Kapusany near Presov to the state border. Motorway officials plan to sign contracts for the construction plan for several R4 sections soon, all the way to the border with Poland. "Once we have the construction plan finalised, we can move on to the next steps of the preparatory phase. We're doing our best to bring the preparatory process for this important international artery to a successful conclusion as soon as possible," said Raz. The R4 route, which is currently in the planning stages, is divided into five consecutive separate sections. Together, they span approximately 60 kilometres. The entire R4 route is part of the Via Carpatia corridor, which connects the Baltic, Black and Aegean Seas. It passes through seven countries, including Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. In total, it spans more than 3,000 kilometres. "Slovakia will contribute only a few dozen kilometres to the entire Via Carpatia route, part of which is already in operation. There's no doubt that we need to complete our Slovak section as soon as possible so that transit traffic doesn't place a full burden on the surrounding towns and villages. Freight transport on existing infrastructure currently accounts for about a quarter of all traffic. We're doing our best to speed up the preparation process," added head of the NDS project preparation department Tomas Mateicka. In addition to preparations for the sections from Kapusany to the border, construction is also underway on the approximately 10-kilometre section of the R4 Presov-northern bypass, phase II. am/df