[LV] Highways & Motorways in Latvia • Latvijas Autoceļi

[makaveli6]

Continuing my trip (You can read the Lithuanian part in Lithuanian highway thread).
After crossing the LT/LV border you could instantly see that Lithuanian A13 is in much better condition than Latvian A11. I didn't take any pictures because it was already pretty late and we had alot of catching up to our scedhule. After a few kilometers we turned on to P113 because we could bypass Liepāja by using and and getting to our next destenition faster.


In the start the road was paved, not the best quality but you could drive on it without your wheels falling off. Some kilometer later the pavement ended and from there it was gravel all the way till village of Bārta some 30 kilometers from the P113 start.


I was suprised to see this road unpaved, because it could be really used as Liepāja bypass if it was paved.



As said earlier, after the village of Bārta the road is paved all the way till A9 in Grobiņa. I also didn't take pictures of that because of the hurry. Generally the pavament wasn't bad but after visiting Lithuania it seemed very shaky. While on A9 a thunderstrom catched us and i stopped to take this picture of A9 and a rainbow.


As for A9, there is not much I can say. The pavement conditions tend to change every few kilometers, there were some worse parts, some were in better conditions than other, but overall it wasnt a bad drive. Not far from Skrunda we stopped for a cup of coffee and a desert (seemed like a nice place for dinner, if someone is intrested the place is called Kalnakrogs). So i took some pictures of A9 around there.



All the other pictures will be of two road constructions. First one being A9 (Rīga - Liepāja) 79 - 98km. The constructions started this year and are planned to be finished next year. Road will be fully reconstructed and currently there are earthworks, culvert and pavement works going on. First sign of construction could be seen in Brocēni.


After that it was quite for a while, and then we got to a part where pavament is already laid, though not the final layer.


Traffic was regulated with traffic lights in some places and the speed limit lowered to 50-70km/h.




After that, we got to a place where the old aspahlt has ben removed but no other works have been done since that, so we had to drive on gravel for a little while.


And going further even the old pavement wasnt removed.


The other spot of road constructions was A5, i didn't drive the whole stretch, only after the A9 interchange. Earthworks were happening as pavement was being laid there.




And this is the end, I hope you had a good time reading my report.

[makaveli6]

A8 (Rīga - Jelgava - LT) reconstruction. Currently earthworks are going and and pavement is being laid. Speed limit reduced to 70km/h.

Just after Riga, one carriageway is closed so drivers coming form Jelgava or Lithuania now have to drive on the other side.




Just before Jaunolaine eveyrhting goes back to normal. Here is the new pavement, now awaiting for road markings.



The same after Jaunolaine.


Later down the road, one lane is closed because the final layer of aspahlt was laid not so long ago.


This changes abit later, when the side's are changed and half of the road is still waiting for it's final layer...


And few kilometers later the whole road is waiting for it.


Around Dalbe the pavement is already laid, only waiting for it's markings.


And the bridge over Misa is being reconstructed here.

[Agnette]

The new video of A8 road from Lithuania to Latvia:

[makaveli6]

Very nice video, as always.

[makaveli6]

Updated road construction map.


Added: P62 (Krāslava - Preiļi - Madona) 71 - 79km. The road will be fully reconstructed, currently speed limit is lowered to 70km/h and earthworks are going on.
Condition prior to works:

Finished: A9 (Rīga - Liepāja) 0 - 10km.

Full size: http://i47.tinypic.com/347uvix.jpg

[makaveli6]

Works on Southern bridge's third stage have resumed. Saw some machinery and workers there 30min ago.

[mcarling]

Originally Posted by makaveli6

Works on Southern bridge's third stage have resumed.

Dienvidu tilts, right? What is the third stage? Is that the new connection to the A7? I was last there two years ago and the progress was slow. I had been wondering whether or not it was open yet.

[makaveli6]

Originally Posted by mcarling

Dienvidu tilts, right? What is the third stage? Is that the new connection to the A7? I was last there two years ago and the progress was slow. I had been wondering whether or not it was open yet.

Yes. The third stage connects the bridge with A7. The construction was stopped about two years ago, because of financial reasons, some 30% of works were done by then, now it's planned to be finished next year. Here are some renders.

[Agnette]

What about connection with A8?

[makaveli6]

A5 reconstruction. Currently earthworks are going on and pavement is being laid. Speed limit is lowered to 50 - 70 km/h.

Pavement waiting for markings.


Bridge over A9 is currently closed, and we need to take the roundabout under it, to continue on to A5.


Looks scary, dosen't it?


After interchange with P132, eveyrhting is finished, except the interchange with A8 and the old Jelgava highway.

-------------

Today I also traveled on A7, partly, currently earthworks, culvert construction and pavement laying is going on.

Roundabout with A5 waiting for markings.


Travelling in the direction of Riga, just before Ķekava, still needs the final layer.


Pavement being laid in Ķekava, traffic organized in one lane.




After Ķekava, pavement has been laid, but again, still waiting for the final layer.


It started raining...


...and then stopped.


Hope, you enjoyed.

[makaveli6]

Originally Posted by Agnette

What about connection with A8?

It was planned some time ago, to be constructed together with the connection to A7, but was scrapped early in the project. Nothing heard about it, since then. Maybe in the next EU planning period.

[makaveli6]

Daugavgrīvas street.

Everything is almost finished around Neste. Currenlty traffic going to city center is going on detour on Klinģeru street.



Traffic heading in the direction of Bolderāja, now needs to use newly built Durbes street and Nameja krastmala.



Does it look like there was a street there before?



Here the street is narrowed down in many places.



The new Daugavgrīva street will go here.

[makaveli6]

Updated road construction map.


Added: A10 (Rīga - Ventspils) 39 - 41km.
The stretch will be repaved. Currently earthworks and pavement millling is going on. Speed limit lowered to 50 km/h.
Condition prior to works:


P4 (Rīga - Ērgļi) 91 - 100km.The stretch will be fully reconstructed. Currently earthworks and mobilization going on. Speed limit lowered to 70-50 km/h.
Condition prior to works:


----

Finished: P32 (Līgatne - Skrīveri) 36 - 41km.

FULL SIZE:
http://i45.tinypic.com/23svifk.jpg

[Jevpls]

That A10 section won't be easy one. It's quite narrow road and has got high AADT. I guess that many drivers will complain about long waiting (that's typical - everything is bad ).

[makaveli6]

Updated road construction map.


Added: P121 (Tukums - Kuldīga) 71 - 77km. Will be fully reconstructed. Works being done by Strabag. Currently earthworks and dismantling of structures are going on. Speed limit lowered to 30 - 70 km/h and the stretch is being regulated by two traffic lights. You can pass the section in about 20minutes.
Condition prior to works:

FULL SIZE: http://i1061.photobucket.com/albums/...ye/latvia4.jpg

[makaveli6]

A10 (Rīga - Ventspils) 24 - 36 and 39 - 41km reconstruction and repaving. Currently pavement is being laid, bus stops are being built, some earthwroks going on and asphalt milling. Speed limit lowered to 50 - 70km/h.

On the first section, pavement has been laid almost in full lenght.


In the last kilometers the pavement is still waiting for the final layer.


On the second section, the old aspahalt has been scratched off. Stiil the ride is horrible.



---
A5 (Riga bypass/Salaspils - Babīte) reconstruction. Erathworks and pavement laying going on. Unfortunetly I didn't drive the whole stretch.

[RipleyLV]

Aerial view on Eastern Highway (inner city bypass) in Riga:

From Yearbook 2011: http://rdsd.lv/box/files/gadagramata11.pdf

[ssh]

Hello good neighbours in the south! I will be driving to your lovely capital tomorrow from Tallinn and I'm hoping someone could recommend me a path to take me from A1 to RIX with the lightest possible traffic and hassle (but without making a massive detour either).

Any help is appreciated.

[makaveli6]

You should use the inner city bypass. http://goo.gl/maps/dH9ph
Hope that helped.

[ssh]

It was great, thank you!

And I have to say, driving in Latvia feels quite different somehow. The "three"-lane overtaking on A1 was quite something for a noob.