[PL] Polish highways & motorways • Polskie autostrady i drogi ekspresowe

[Sponsor]

Yes, it is pssible. "Motorway" beetween Elbląg and Kaliningrad is national road 22 and it is now in rebuiliding to S22 (expressway). We can also drive on "Berlinka" which is motorway A6 in rebuilding too. The "Olimpijka" has never been completed so we can't experience drive on it. (sorry for my bad english)

[Verso]

Your English is good, and thanks for the answer!

[ChrisZwolle]

Was the Olimpijka some sort of an A2?

[Sponsor]

Yes. I'm not sure but I think that new A2 will be build as a continuation of "Olimpijka" (on the same place).

[ikrys]

Elblag -Kalingrad is now under construction, with bypass of Elblag as well(since 2-3years)Dont now any details ,just that is the section of S22 expressway

[Verso]

Originally Posted by Sponsor

Yes. I'm not sure but I think that new A2 will be build as a continuation of "Olimpijka" (on the same place).

Will they use the remaining pavement?

[AmiDelf]

I am from Swinoujscie, so driving between Swinoujscie and Szczecin which is a nice experience nowdays. Just before Szczecin. the two lane road divides into a strange highway. The signs are marked as B class highway, but it got 4 lanes ( 2 on each side), though there are same level crossings though. Then it connects with another road and you can really feel the German worldwarii highway blocks bumping your car to every angle

Some parts of this road between Swinoujscie and Szczecin have been improoved offcourse. New bridges and stuff.

[ikrys]

EU

European Commission takes Poland to court to protect threatened wildlife habitats (21.03.2007)

The European Commission is taking Poland to the European Court of Justice over the construction of the Augustow and Wasilkow road bypasses through the Rospuda Valley.

The construction of the two roads would damage important nature areas like primeval woodland and other natural habitats of European importance. The Commission supports the upgrading of road infrastructure in Poland but it does not accept the unjustified irreversible damage that will be caused by the bypasses.

As work has started on these two construction projects the Commission is equally asking the Court of Justice for interim measures to ask Poland to suspend the works immediately.

EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: "It is with regret that the Commission is bringing this case to the European Court of Justice. But this course of action is necessary if these precious natural sites of European significance are to be protected from irreparable damage. The Commission cannot accept the loss of such precious natural heritage."

Unsatisfactory response to final warning on bypasses

In February 2007 the Polish authorities gave contractors the green light to start construction work on bypasses in important nature sites in the Rospuda river valley and Puszcza Knyszynska in north-eastern Poland.

As a result the Commission accelerated an existing infringement procedure against Poland on the Augustow and Wasilkow bypasses. Poland failed to respond satisfactorily to the Commission's final warning of 28 February.

The Commission is thus taking early action against Poland in the European Court of Justice requesting that it issue an order suspending the work on the projects.

Poland gives green light to projects despite Commission caution
The polish authorities gave the official green light for the two construction projects despite the Commission having sent Poland a first warning letter in December 2006 for eight road projects in the north-eastern part of the country - including the Augustow and Wasilkow bypasses.

The 17.1 kilometre Augustow bypass would involve building an expressway which would cut through the Rospuda river valley. The valley contains a rare mosaic of unspoilt habitats within one of the largest and best maintained primeval forests in Central Europe. The expressway would cross a unique wetland system considered to be of exceptional European value by scientists.

The valley is a Special Protection Area (SPA) designated under the Wild Birds Directive and should also benefit from protection under the Habitats Directive on account of its rare habitats, although Poland has not yet designated it. The final construction permit was issued on 9 February 2007.

On the same day the developer announced that work would start by the end of February.
Poland denies that European nature legislation requires it to protect this site by cancelling the project. The Polish authorities claim that by assessing the damage the project will do, looking at alternatives and offering compensatory measures it has complied with all protection requirements.

Proposed compensatory measures include taking some forest out of production, creating ponds, blocking small streams to bring up water level in drainage channels, planting trees, and restoring and managing wet meadows.

They argue that the project is of overriding interest on road safety grounds.
The Commission considers that Poland has a duty to protect this site and that assessments and examination of alternatives are weak and unconvincing.

The Commission considers that road safety could be adequately addressed by other routes that would constitute valid alternatives, thus avoiding irreparable damage to this protected site. As for the compensatory measures offered, these do not offset the destruction of unique natural features.

The 5.2 kilometre Wasilkow bypass would run in part through another SPA which contains habitats protected under the Birds Directive and should be designated as a Site of Community Importance under the Habitats Directive.

Despite this the final construction permit was issued on 2 February 2007 and tree-cutting started on 15 February 2007. Poland accepts that the SPA requires protection but claims it has properly assessed and approved the project, and has offered sufficient compensatory measures.

The Commission considers the assessment is not adequate to justify the decision to cause significant environmental damage.

More information about EU nature protection policies is available at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/nature/home.htm

[Arans]

Polish Highways

[BL]

do u have any picture of those concrete german roads still in use? like national road 22?

[Arans]

A4

[lkmiec]

Originally Posted by BL

do u have any picture of those concrete german roads still in use? like national road 22?

there is a very good web page run by a fellow "skyscraperer": http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/berlinka.html

it is in Polish and (to some extent I suppose) in German - some pictures are there

on the other hand you can try visiting the official web page of S22 project http://www.elblag-grzechotki.pl/ where on the left-hand side you have 3 sections and under "kronika" you can find plenty of photos

finally visit the thread http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...134138&page=12 where you find plenty of photos, including my own ;-)

have a nice watching!!

Best regards

[smar]

Some pictures of motorway A6 near Szczecin: http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/a6.html
There's a short motorway - almost 22 km. In this time the motorway is being rebuilt (8 km).

[ChrisZwolle]

Originally Posted by smar

There's a short motorway - almost 22 km. In this time the motorway is being rebuilt (8 km).

It is even shorter i think. From the German border to the first Szczecin exit. (yes you English speaking guys, pronounce that correctly )
I heard the expressway part around Szczecin will be reconstructed to motorway standards.

[Verso]

Originally Posted by Chris1491

It is even shorter i think. From the German border to the first Szczecin exit. (yes you English speaking guys, pronounce that correctly )

Couldn't be easier - Ščećin!

[hkskyline]

Polish PM: ecology cannot be used as "weapon" against development, backs disputed highway
22 April 2007

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Poland's prime minister said Sunday that ecology must not be used as a "weapon against development," reinforcing his support for a planned highway that would slice across a peat bog and has angered Brussels.

Polish authorities have approved plans to construct a section of the Via Baltica highway, linking Poland to Finland, that would cut through the protected peat bog for 500 meters (yards) as it bypasses a town.

The European Commission is taking Poland to the EU's top court to prevent construction of the highway, arguing it violates a European Union program protecting rare ecological environments.

Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski brushed aside the EU's case on Sunday, saying Poland is "clearly right on this issue, and there is no reason not to build the highway."

Speaking in the northeastern city of Bialystok, Kaczynski said ecology was "very important," adding that "Poland has made great strides in the past 15 years" in cleaning up and protecting the environment.

But he said that "you cannot use ecology as a weapon against development," and warned that putting ecology first could cripple Poland as it tries to catch up economically with its western neighbors.

"In our country you wouldn't be able to build anything, or you would only be able to build at extremely high cost," he said. "We have to take care that Poland's development is cheap, because only then can it be fast."

He added that people working to block development on environmental grounds are "hurting Poland's future."

"If we accept the stance proposed by ecologist radicals, and by part of the media, then we won't change Poland," he said. "We are going to drag behind in Europe, we are going to be weaker than others."

[Ullgive]

[mgk920]

That study of the uncompleted old WWII-era German Reichsautobahn (the A-6 and S22) are fascinating indeed. Is there any possibility of the two ever being connected with a new motorway using the old uncompleted WWII-era grade?

(now THAT would be a roadtrip! )

Mike

[DJRexxx]

A1 - 90km under construction











S1 - 12,4 km

[GENIUS LOCI]

Originally Posted by smar

In the center they left the space to add one more lane per direction in the future