Infrastructure Minister Andrzej Adamczyk visited the construction site of the road tunnel under the Świna River in Świnoujście. As part of the investment, the longest underwater tunnel in Poland has been built.
“Strong Western Pomerania is a Polish raison d’être. The construction of the tunnel under the Świna River is one of the key investments in this region. It has significant importance on various levels, including economic and cultural. The opening of the tunnel this year would not have been possible without many years of preparatory work, including decisions from 2006-2007 that enabled the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) to obtain the environmental decision determining the route and construction specifications of the tunnel. During the previous governments, the investment was not continued, and only the return of the united right-wing camp to power allowed for the transition to the implementation phase,” said Infrastructure Minister Andrzej Adamczyk.
The minister recalled that the start of the works was made possible thanks to the government’s support in obtaining financing for the investment from EU funds. This was achieved through a competition organized by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the National Center for Research and Development (NCBiR). Previously, the tunnel was not included in the list of projects eligible for co-financing.
The crossing under the Świna River in Świnoujście, located along National Road No. 93, is one of the most important road investments being implemented in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Its total length is 3 km.
The main element of the crossing is a single-chamber tunnel under the Świna River, with a length of 1.44 km, drilled using a tunnel boring machine (TBM). Tunnel drilling started on March 17, 2021, and was completed in September 2021. Currently, final tests and calibration of the tunnel systems, including the crucial ventilation system, are underway.
The project is financed by the EU funds under the Operational Program Infrastructure and Environment. The total estimated value of the investment is PLN 913.8 million.
Minister Adamczyk also visited the construction of a section of the S3 expressway between Dargobądz and Troszyn. The 15.9 km section is being implemented under the Design and Build formula. The total value of the investment, carried out by a consortium of Polbud, Intop, and PRD Nowogard, is PLN 824.6 million. The construction works on this section started in early 2022. The current progress of the works is 45%, and the planned completion date is the second quarter of 2024. As part of the investment, three road junctions will be built: Dargobądz, Wolin Zachód, Wolin Wschód, along with 7 viaducts, an overpass, and 2 bridges. Additionally, animal crossings, two rest areas, and a traffic maintenance circuit near the Wolin Wschód junction are planned.
Another section of the S3 expressway, Świnoujście-Dargobądz, with a length of 17 km, is currently being implemented in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The total value of the task, carried out by POLAQUA, is PLN 830 million. The completion of works on this section of the S3 is expected in the second quarter of 2024. Drivers will have access to 4 road junctions: Świnoujście, a junction near the LNG terminal, and the Łunowo and Międzyzdroje junctions.