The Ministry of the Environment (MŽP) of the Slovak Republic issued a final opinion on the 12 and a half kilometer long Zvolen bypass, which is one of the state’s strategic investments. According to the ministry, the EIA’s favorable opinion is one of the key documents for the completion of modern, safe and environmentally suitable road infrastructure not only in Pohroní.
This was announced by the Minister of the Environment on Wednesday Tomáš Taraba (SNS nominee), Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer-SD) and Transport Minister Jozef Ráž (Smer-SD nominee). TASR was informed about this by the environmental department.
“This is the last missing section of the R2 Zvolen West – Zvolen East expressway, which will connect the existing route of the R2 Zvolen East – Pstruša expressway, while taking over a significant share of transit traffic from the congested, so-called Lučenecká road 1/16. The bypass will include more than 20 bridges, four flyover bridges, anti-noise walls and retaining or frame walls, as well as a level crossing,” clarified the ministry.
By issuing a final opinion, the MoE agreed with an environmentally acceptable variant, which will make it transport in the vicinity of Zvolena is safer, smoother, more comfortable and at the same time acceptable in terms of environmental impact. The implementation of the technical measures that the ministry determined in the final opinion will not endanger the thermal or mineral waters in the Kováčová spa, the environmental department declared.
“After Kysucie, the last missing section of the D1 Turany – Hubová highway, we took an important step without unnecessary delays even at the Zvolen bypass. The main task of our government is to rebuild Slovakia. It’s a promise we made and we’re keeping it,” Taraba emphasized.
For Ráž, the Zvolen bypass is a project with the highest priority. “About 22,000 cars pass the road between Zvolen and Lučenac every day. Thanks to the implementation of the project, all motorists and transit traffic that wants to continue from R1 towards Lučenec and Košice will avoid Zvolen and often the queues within the industrial park.
I thank the Ministry of the Environment that we have issued the opinion of the so-called EIA, which in the end will certainly bring a better, safer and more peaceful life to the Chosen and we will have the same in the end the coveted Zvolen bypass and connection to R2,” he clarified.
According to Kaliňák, the Zvolen bypass is also important from a military point of view and logistics, because most of the military bases and all the transfer of material takes place along the southern route and not along the D1. “In this case, we also want to use the funds of the Ministry of Defense to finance such an excellent dual project, at the same time we will also bring the expressway closer to Sliač airport, which will also have its own civilian terminal in the future, which will also increase the tourist attractiveness of this region,” he said.
