The S61 expressway is already more than 200 km long out of the targeted 220 km. Drivers can now use another section of this route, from Ostrów Mazowiecka to Śniadów. A 13-kilometre bypass of Łomża still remains to complete the entire Polish section of the Via Baltica, which is planned to be finished in the middle of next year.

“Today, the Mazowieckie and Podlaskie voivodships and the eastern part of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship are connected by a comfortable and safe expressway. This adds further kilometres to the Polish expressway network. We are investing in every region of the country and taking care of Poland’s sustainable development”, said Infrastructure Minister Andrzej Adamczyk during the opening of the road.

The section of the S61 from Ostrów Mazowiecka to Śniadów, which has been opened to traffic, is 19.5 km long. It is a dual carriageway expressway suitable for the heaviest traffic. Two road junctions were built as part of the investment: Ostrów Mazowiecka Północ, at the intersection of the S61 and S8 expressways, and Komorowo (connection with provincial roads 627 and 677). On this section of the S61, 26 engineering structures were built, including five animal crossings and eight ecological culverts for small animals.

The value of the contract, carried out in the Design and Build system, is PLN 750 million. The total cost of the project is approximately PLN 843 million, with EU funding amounting to PLN 433.5 million.

Via Baltica is a section of the international road E67 from Warsaw to Tallinn in Estonia, from Poland through Lithuania and Latvia to Estonia. It serves as the most important road connection between the Baltic countries.

The construction of the S61 expressway is an important investment not only for the road network in Poland but is also of European significance. This route forms an international transport corridor, which will eventually take over the transit traffic between Western Europe and the Baltic States.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński