New 3.7‑mile stretch of Via Baltica highway inaugurated in Lithuania
The Lithuanian road directorate states that they are midway through the reconstruction of approximately a 24.8-mile section from Mariampol to the Polish border. The entire work is estimated to be concluded by 2025.
12:18 PM EST, December 20, 2023
This new 3.7-mile section of the Via Baltica is a four-lane highway adapted for both civilian and military traffic. Lithuanians proclaim that this year, a total of 7.76 miles of new highway were constructed towards Poland, along with five roundabouts, three viaducts, four bridges, over 2.8 miles of noise barriers, road lighting, intelligent transport systems, and other traffic management technologies.
"Largest road project since independence"
"This year signifies the construction of a new highway," stated Lithuanian Minister of Transport Marius Skuodis during Wednesday's ceremony. He emphasized that this construction project is the largest road undertaking in the country since Lithuania regained its independence.
The 24.8-mile stretch between Mariampol and the Polish border is recognized as Lithuania's busiest route. An estimated 10,000 automobiles traverse it daily, with roughly 50 percent being freight transport.
The full reconstruction of the 166.5 miles Via Baltica highway in Lithuania is anticipated to be wrapped up by 2030.
Route completion in Poland is in close proximity
The Via Baltica is a fragment of the European road E67, which stretches from Prague in the Czech Republic to Helsinki in Finland through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. It links Prague, Wroclaw, Warsaw, Kaunas, Panevezys, Riga, Tallinn, and Helsinki.
Poland's General Directorate of National Roads and Motorways explains that the Via Baltica in Poland is composed of the express roads S8 and S61. In October, they reported that the S61 road has over 124.27 miles completed, only a little over 12 miles short of the targeted 136.7 miles. "Only an 8.07-mile bypass of Lomza remains to be constructed on the entire S61, which we plan to achieve passability on one carriageway by the middle of next year," announced the institution two months ago.
