R1 ŽARNOVICA - Šášovské PODHRADIE, Phase I, II

Priority Axis:
No. 5

Project Location:
District of Žarnovica and Žiar nad Hronom
Banská Bystrica region

Current Status:
Phase I completed, traffic expected from 19 November 2009
Phase II in the implementation

Start of implementation:
- part I: 4 March 2008
- part II: 24 November 2008

Expected implementation completion date:
- Phase II completion: 24 November 2010

Project Route:
The section of Zarnovica-Šášovské Podhradie is part of the European road E-571 Bratislava - Kosice, which is part of the European road line E 58 Vienna (Austria) – Rostov on Don (Russia).

Problem defining:
Banská Bystrica region's transport system does not meet the requirements of its economy. It lags especially in facilities with modern road infrastructure. The part of the Class I  I/65 road between Žarnovica and Šášovské Podhradie is one of the most critical road sections in Slovakia. The way does not meet the needs, required by Class I  road and is not suitable for long-distance transport. The width layout in the entire road length is inappropriate. Travel speed, density and traffic safety are inadequate. Freight and passengers transport density is very high (23%), causing the formation of traffic jams, a significant reduction of vehicles speed, great timing and energy losses, the additional cost of repairing the existing overloaded road, and so forth.
The existing road crosses the residential area of municipalities Bzenica, Hliník nad Hronom and also marginally Ziar nad Hronom (reduced speed to 40 km / h). Due to emissions the intensity of traffic has a negative impact on life quality of residents. Insufficient road I/65 parameters bring negative consequences for the transport: the growth of energy and time difficulties, accidents, road repair and maintenance costs, and so on. The project mentioned is the follow up of already implemented R1 Rudno n / H - Žarnovica project.

Project Objectives:
- Reduction of time loss - higher running speed on a newly built R1 expressway
- Reduced operating costs and maintenance costs – fluent traffic will positively affect fuel and maintenance costs.
- Improvement of regional, interregional and international availability - R1 expressway is part of European route E571 Bratislava-Kosice, which is the important transport corridor connecting two economic poles from the national point of view. Investments in road infrastructure represent an important growth stimulus for the development of central Slovakia, which is strongly behind the economic development of western Slovakia.
- Increase the capacity of key road network in respect of transport demand of Slovakian fast-growing economy, a dramatic traffic growth due to Slovakia's entry into the EU. Frequent traffic jams are also caused by the dynamic economic development.
- Decrease the negative transport impacts on the environment - noise and emissions generated by the intensive traffic on the new I/65 road in populated urban areas will be significantly reduced due to the relocation of substantial traffic to the newly built expressway. The main environmental benefit is reducing the exposure of citizens to these negative impacts.

Project Output:
Phase I
Road part in length: 9, 675 km
Number of bridges: 11
detailed description of phase I

Phase II
Road part in length: 8, 372 km
Number of bridges: 10
detailed description of phase II

Project Financing:
EU Structural Funds 111 020 233 eur ............ 85%
The state budget of the SR 19 591 806 eur ............ 15%

Investor (NFP beneficiary):
NMC j.s.c.

MTPT  SR Project Manager:
Ing. Boris Mičian, Implementation of road infrastructure projects Department

Project Manager of the beneficiary:
JUDr. Lukas Vitek, Department of projects procurement, Section for Foreign Investment