Construction of Karpaty Tunnel Near Bratislava Will Be Strategic Investment

Bratislava, August 24 (TASR) - The construction of the D4-motorway section between the Bratislava boroughs of Raca and Zahorska Bystrica, including the Karpaty tunnel, will feature among strategic investments, the government decided at its session this week. The construction of the nearly 12.5-kilometre (km) section, most of which will consist of the Karpaty tunnel, is expected to start at the end of 2029. "The implementation of the 'D4 motorway in the Bratislava-Raca - Bratislava-Zahorska Bystrica' project represents a significant step in the development of Slovakia's transport infrastructure. The project will contribute towards increasing the smoothness and safety of road transport, reduce the burden on existing roads and improve the environment for the inhabitants of the affected areas," said the Transport Ministry in a document submitted to the cabinet meeting. The new section of the motorway between Bratislava-Raca and Bratislava-Zahorska Bystrica will connect existing D4 stretches. The project includes the construction of the almost 12-kilometre Karpaty tunnel, which will pass under the Small Carpathian mountains. The designation of the project as a strategic investment was made possible by the law on extraordinary measures for strategic investments and constructing a trans-European transport network (TEN-T), which was signed by President Peter Pellegrini on June 26. The act was re-approved by Parliament after it was vetoed by previous head of state Zuzana Caputova. The aim of the law is to speed up the construction of projects in the public interest. am/df/mf