Spaudos centras
Spaudos centras
In order to improve communication between Lithuania and Poland in a coordinated manner, the Lithuanian Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Julius Skačkauskas and the Polish Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Rafal Weber discussed in Marijampolė the modernisation of Via Baltica highway and improvement of the border road infrastructure in the presence of representatives of the border municipalities of both countries. The Deputy Minsters and delegations of the countries also visited the section of Via Baltica between Marijampolė and the Lithuanian-Polish state border, where the road is being intensively reconstructed into a 4-lane highway.
“Together with Poland, we aim to have the best possible connection between the two countries, both via the international highway Via Baltica and via the local and regional roads important for border residents. This is important for the economy, closer communication and tourism of both countries. In addition, due to the current geopolitical situation, the roads connecting the countries become even more critical in ensuring military mobility. I am glad that the planned modernisation works of Via Baltica are proceeding rapidly and already in 2025, Kaunas, as well as Vilnius, will be connected with Warsaw and Western Europe by a safe and accessible highway,” said Mr Skačkauskas, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications.
A total of about 40 km (from 56.83 to 97.06 km) of roads will be reconstructed in the Via Baltica section A5 Kaunas-Marijampole-Suvalkai between Marijampolė and the Polish border. It is expected to complete the works on two sections from 72.50 to 85 km already this year; reconstruction works on other sections of the road will begin shortly. The reconstructed road will meet international infrastructure safety and traffic management standards. It is one of the country’s largest road infrastructure projects in the past 30 years.
The Lithuanian and Polish Deputy Ministers also discussed the improvement of regional border roads. In Lithuania, it is planned to reconstruct sections of regional roads No 2511 Lazdijai–Galiniai (0.00-8.92 km), No 2654 Senosios Radiškės-Polish border (0.00-3.76 km) and No 2505 Leipalingis-Kapčiamiestis-Kauknoris (18.1-28.1 km). The engineering of these sections is expected to be completed next year and the reconstruction works are planned for 2024-2026.
In order to improve military mobility, the delegations of both countries discussed the planned development of the so-called second Suwalki Corridor, adapting it to the needs of military mobility in the future. In Lithuania, this corridor would pass through Lazdijai, Alytus and all the way to the Rūdninkai training ground, in Poland – through Sejny and Augustów. In Poland, it is planned to build the Augustów bypass, and in the section No 16 from Augustów to the Lithuanian-Polish border, the road surface will be strengthened and adapted to the movement of military equipment. Funding from the European Commission’s CEF military mobility programme will be sought for the purposes of adaptation of this corridor to the needs of military mobility.
The Deputy Ministers of Lithuania and Poland emphasised the need to cooperate, and correlate and coordinate the actions of both countries for the purposes of improving communication by road.