After 58 years, the D1 motorway is finally complete with the opening of the last section at Přerov. The new stretch was finished earlier than originally planned and is expected to significantly relieve traffic in the region.

Following years of planning, numerous disputes, and construction complications, the D1 motorway is now fully completed. The section is 10.1 kilometres long and was completed almost three months ahead of schedule.

Construction of the roughly ten-kilometre section began in January two years ago and cost nearly seven billion crowns. With its completion, not only is the country’s oldest motorway finally complete, but the city of Přerov is also expected to see a substantial reduction in traffic. According to the ŘSD, up to 70 per cent of previous heavy goods traffic is expected to be removed from the city area.

In addition to Přerov, Olomouc and Prostějov will benefit, as the new section diverts transit traffic from the D46. Parallel to the D1, a 7.6-kilometre stretch of the D55 motorway between Olomouc and Kokory will also open on Friday.

The Říkovice–Přerov section includes a total of 14 bridges and five noise barriers. The originally estimated cost of just under seven billion crowns was largely maintained. The project was also accompanied by numerous objections and lawsuits from several citizens’ initiatives. In addition, there were complex negotiations with property owners whose buildings had to be demolished for the motorway construction.

Source: Prague Daily News
Prepared by the team of foreign office CzechTrade South Korea (Seoul)