Construction of a key section of a Czech highway is back on track after facing significant delays due to unexpected geological challenges. The project, a 21-kilometer stretch from Trutnov to the Polish border, is a priority for improving regional infrastructure and easing traffic congestion.
The highway is designed to connect with the existing S3 expressway in Poland, diverting traffic away from the Polish town of Lubawka and the Czech city of Královce. The completion of this route will provide a more efficient passage for travelers between the two countries.
According to Radek Mátl, the director of the Road and Highway Directorate, the primary obstacle was the time required for the earthwork to settle properly before bridge construction could begin. “If you start building before the material has settled to the required position, you could conclude up with a situation like we saw on the D1 highway near Ostrava – it would become wavy,” Mátl explained.
Initially, contractors anticipated a year-long delay, but Mátl indicated that the project may be accelerated, with a potential opening date around mid-November of this year. The consolidation of the soil has now been completed.
Mátl emphasized that neither the contractor nor the project designer was at fault for the delays, attributing the issue to the geological conditions of the area. “Until you deposit the material, they are just geological estimates, even if they are based on expert surveys, it’s still just an estimate,” he said.
Construction of the entire 21-kilometer section of the D11 highway from Trutnov to the state border in Královce, with a cost of 11.7 billion Czech crowns (without VAT), began in October 2024. Currently, it represents the largest highway construction project in the Czech Republic. The route, which traverses mountainous terrain, also includes two tunnels.
Work began in January on the Opevnění tunnel, which will consist of two tubes, each 492 meters long. After its completion, expected in about a year, work will shift to the Poříčí tunnel, with tubes measuring 540 and 576 meters.
Originally, construction was slated to begin with the Poříčí tunnel, but builders encountered mounds of power plant ash in its path. Testing revealed elevated levels of natural radioactivity within the ash. Still, Marek Novotný, director of the Hradec Králové branch of the Road and Highway Directorate, assured that subsequent analyses confirmed the radioactivity was not harmful to health or the environment.
The highway from Trutnov to Poland is scheduled to open in the spring of 2028, with the final remaining section between Jaroměř and Trutnov expected to be completed a year later. Construction on that final segment is anticipated to begin within weeks.
