A recently opened section of the R3 expressway was made available ahead of its originally scheduled completion at the end of summer. The official handover of the development took place before the contractual deadline, a fact confirmed by the Minister, who expressed hope that this section of the highway could be used by everyone as early as this summer. The current investment covers a new route about 5.6 kilometers long, stretching from Tvrdošín to Nižná nad Oravou, and connecting to the Trstená bypass, which was put into operation back in 2010. The R3 – which is part of the European main route E77 – thus relieves the I/59 main road which previously passed through the center of Trstená, significantly reducing urban traffic. The newly mentioned R3 section is currently only half completed: the road now has two lanes, meaning one traffic lane is available in each direction, but even now more than 5 kilometers are open to motorists. The road runs along the left bank hillside from the bypass, then crosses the Krivý stream on a bridge, approaching Tvrdošín to continue towards Nižná on its eastern side. The new section ends at Nižná with a grade-separated junction, where the road connects to the I/59 via a roundabout and an access road. Construction began in 2011, but progress was slowed by several factors, such as comprehensive geological studies, relocation of utility lines, and pyrotechnic investigations, all of which significantly increased both the cost and the execution time. The public procurement for this road section started in 2019, with an initial budget of nearly €75 million. However, the actual terrain conditions turned out to be much more complex than anticipated, and the budget had to be adjusted to €76.8 million excluding VAT – representing an overrun of nearly €3.5 million. As part of the project, 11 bridges, more than 1,800 meters of noise barriers, retaining walls, drainage, public lighting, information systems, and other infrastructure were built.
The construction crew of 150 mostly faced rock strata much harder than expected; instead of conventional earthworks, blasting techniques had to be employed, so the drilling and rock-breaking methods had to be modified, and additional pyrotechnic surveys were also required. The project was also hampered by the relocation of gas pipelines. Further delays were caused by material shortages, increased costs due to inflation, and a shortage of workforce, which was further exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, the project has finally been delivered nearly two years late, now instead of in 2023. The new 5.6-kilometer expressway section, although only in a half-profile configuration, is open to traffic in both directions and is completed with 11 bridges and two interchanges. This brings significant relief to Tvrdošín’s residents: thousands of cars previously drove through the city every day, but in the future, this section can be avoided. An important development is that passenger vehicle drivers will still not need an e-vignette to use the Tvrdošín bypass – this was announced by the minister after consulting the Prime Minister. However, for freight vehicles, a road toll will be mandatory from August 1, 2024. The R3 Tvrdošín–Nižná expressway mainly relieves the town of Tvrdošín, speeds up through traffic, and primarily reduces the proportion of trucks coming from or heading to Poland passing through the city center. According to the operating company, approximately 6,500 vehicles will use the section daily once it is fully operational, and this number could reach as high as 9,500. Thus, transport in the border regions will significantly improve: the minister emphasized that this development increases the attractiveness of the region, boosts labor mobility and logistics traffic. The director of NDS added: the new road could reduce daily truck traffic by 1,000–1,500 lorries, while around 5,000 passenger vehicles will bypass the town. Such changes help maintain traffic flow, reduce noise and air pollution, and thus improve the quality of life for locals. On a national level, Slovakia plans to open a record total of 47 kilometers of new motorway and expressway sections in 2025, of which this R3 section represents an important share.
