Motorway D1 (Slovakia)

Infobox European road
marker_



eroad=
length_km=271
plalength=517 km
starting_terminus= in Bratislava
junction=

ending_terminus=M06 border with Ukraine (planned)
countries=Slovakia
regions=Bratislava Region, Trnava Region, Trenčín Region, Žilina Region, Prešov Region, Košice Region
cities=Bratislava, Trnava, Trenčín, Žilina, Martin, Poprad, Prešov, Košice

D1 is a motorway ( _sk. diaľnica) in Slovakia. Its route is Bratislava (D2/D4) - Trnava (R1) - Trenčín (R2) - Púchov (R6) - Žilina (D3) - Martin (R3) - Poprad - Prešov (R4) - Košice (R4) - Michalovce - SK/UA border.

It forms part of the following European routes: E50, E58, E75, E571 and of the V.A Pan-European corridor (Trieste) - Bratislava - Žilina - Košice - Uzhorod - (Lviv)

As of December 2007, out of the total 517 km there were:

* 271 km in operation (16,6 km as a semi-highway)
* 45,2 km under construction
* 203,4 km in planning

With the exceptions of sections in Bratislava a vignette is required to use the motorway

The past, the present and the future of the motorway D1

The first plans to connect Prague to Slovakia and Mukachevo in today's Zakarpattia Oblast in Ukraine, which was part of Czechoslovakia at that time, were in 1930s. The construction of the motorway (freeway) began in the Czech part in the late 1930s, but in the Slovak part nothing was built. After the World War II, highway construction was abandoned, due to the post-war reconstruction. But in the 1960s, traffic was growing very fast, and a new plan for a D1 highway was available soon, without the part in Zakarpattia Oblast, which became part of the USSR in 1945.

In the Czech part of Czechoslovakia construction work began in 1967. In the Slovak part it began in 1973 by the construction of the part Ivachnová - Liptovský Mikuláš, a 14 km long section in northern Slovakia, along with the construction of the Liptovská Mara dam. In 1972 construction of section from Bratislava to Senec began (it was D61 at that time) and in the 1970s extended to Trnava (total 36 km). The 19 km Prešov - Košice motorway was added in 1980. Until the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, another 20 km were built - from L. Mikuláš to Hybe - , totalling some 52 km in the Slovak part, contrasting to 224 km in Czech part. D61 was built to the village of Horná Streda few kilometres behind Piešťany in 1988, with the total length of that section 42 km. Further 45 km were built after 1993 on D1, and another 27 km on D61, until D1 and D61 merged with each other to form the current D1 motorway.

In 1999, Dzurinda's government stopped or slowed down construction on unopened sections - around Sverepec, for example and stopped preparation for various others. Construction continues again since 2002. Construction works continue today, and the planned date for finishing the entire motorway from Bratislava to Košice varies (mostly from 2012 to 2015). The most difficult section to construct will be between Žilina and Ružomberok, as there will be the most of the tunnels on the entire motorway, including the longest one near Višňové. The motorway has also some disputed planned sections around Považská Bystrica and Prešov, as there are disagreements over the planned routes.

There are plans to "finish" D1 between Bratislava and Košice in 2010 - with several important exceptions. Žilina and Prešov bypasses will be temporaly substitued by four-lane road through these towns and all tunnels between Žilina and Prešov will be opened only as two-lane tunnels with two-way traffic. Four-lane motorway connecting two largest towns in Slovakia will be finished between 2012 and 2014.

D1 will be completed around year 2020, as 3+3 lane motorway from Bratislava to Trnava, 2+2 lane motorway from Trnava to Michalovce and 1+1 lane highway from Michalovce to SK/UA border.

ections of the motorway

As of December 2007, these sections were open:

Bridges and viaducts

This is a list of bridges and viaducts as seen when moving from Bratislava:

Tunnels

This is a list of tunnels as seen when moving from Bratislava:

* Ovčiarsko (2275 m, planned, open 2012?)
* Žilina (651 m, planned, open 2012?)
* Višňové (7460 m, planned, open 2012?)
* Šútovo (400 m, planned, open 2010-2012)
* Malá Fatra (280 m, planned, open 2010-2012)
* Rojkov (1550 m, planned, open 2010-2012)
* Havran (2702 m, planned, open 2010-2012)
* Čebrať (2080 m, planned, open 2010-2012)
* Lučivná (250 m, open nov/dec 2007)
* Bôrik (999 m, open 2009)
* Šibenik (600 m, planned, open 2010-2012)
* Branisko (4975 m, 2 lanes)
* Prešov (2520 m, planned, open 2014?)
* Orechový les (670 m, planned)
* Dargov (1050 m, planned)

Notes

Tunnels:

* Šútovo, Malá Fatra and Rojkov tunnels - possibly replaced by the Korbeľka Tunnel (5700 m, planned)
* Orechový les - only unofficial name

ee also

* Highway D1 (Czech Republic)
* Motorway D61

External links/References

* [http://www.dalnice-silnice.cz/Sk/D1.htm D1] cs icon
* http://www.highways.sk/ sk icon en icon
* [http://www.motorways-exitlists.com/europe/sk/d1.htm Exit list of Highway D1] en icon
* [http://www.ndsas.sk National Motorway Company] sk icon