Via Carpathia (also Via Carpatia) is a planned transnational highway network connecting Klaipėda in Lithuania with Thessaloniki in Greece. It is currently planned to open in 2025.[1]
The Polish part of Via Carpatia has been named in 2021 after late President Lech Kaczyński.[2]
History
editThe route was initially agreed upon in 2006 by Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. In 2010, this group was joined by Romania, Bulgaria and Greece who signed the so called Łańcut Declaration.[3][4]
On 22 June 2017, Poland and Ukraine signed a cooperation agreement for the construction of the road. Signatories indicated the road could be part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).[5][6]
Construction commenced in individual sections along the road with the entire road expected to open in 2025.[1]
The sections known to be under construction or completed are:
Branch 1:
- 4 sections (184 kilometers) of S19 Expressway and 96 kilometers of S61 Expressway in Poland
- Parts of the M30 motorway in Hungary. The Hungarian section opened to public in October 2021 by completing the missing link between Miskolc and the Slovak border.[7]
- R4 expressway in Slovakia[8]
- Western part of A6 motorway in Romania (from Calafat to Lugoj)
- New Europe Bridge over Danube, from Calafat, Romania to Vidin, Bulgaria
- Parts of Botevgrad-Vidin expressway in Bulgaria
- Parts of Struma motorway in Bulgaria
Branch 2:
- A1 motorway in Romania (from Arad to Bucharest)
- A0 motorway south half-ring in Romania (from Bucharest West to Bucharest East)
- A2 motorway in Romania (from Bucharest to Constanța)
Route description
editThe road will run in a general north-south direction through central Europe from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean. Its northern terminus is the Lithuanian port city of Klaipėda. It will then cross the country eastward, pass through eastern Poland, eastern Slovakia and the Hungarian and Romanian border. It will continue in western Romania and western Bulgaria before entering Greece. Its southern terminus is the Greek port city of Thessaloniki.[1] A fork in the south may continue eastwards through Romania to the Black Sea port town of Constanța.[9][10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Highway from Rzeszów to Budapest - Via Carpathia under construction". www.sejm.gov.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2018-07-13.
- ^ "Kolejne odcinki S19 otwarte. Via Carpatia dłuższa o blisko 50 km" [Further stretches of S19 are open. Via Carpatia is longer by circa 50 kilometres]. Lubelski Urząd Wojewódzki w Lublinie (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
- ^ "Via Carpathia – An Investment in the Future | Warsaw Institute". warsawinstitute.org. Retrieved 2018-07-13.
- ^ "Łańcut Declaration". President of the Republic of Poland official website. 2006-10-27. Archived from the original on 2018-07-13. Retrieved 2018-07-13.
- ^ "Poland, Ukraine to build Via Carpathia". New Europe. 2017-10-24. Archived from the original on 2018-07-13. Retrieved 2018-07-13.
- ^ "Via Carpathia transit route discussed in the European Parliament". European Conservatives and Reformists Group. 2012-10-03. Archived from the original on 2018-07-13. Retrieved 2018-07-13.
- ^ "New stretch of the Hungarian highway eases travel for Slovaks". The Slovak Spectator. 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2018-07-13.
- ^ "Figeľ: R4 highway will help eastern Slovakia to develop". The Slovak Spectator. 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2018-07-13.
- ^ "New airport hub and Via Carpatia Poland's top infrastructure projects". Polish Press Agency. Retrieved 2018-07-13.[dead link]
- ^ "Via Carpatia: Pe unde va traversa România noua autostradă dintre Mediterana şi Marea Baltică". www.economica.net. 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2018-07-13.