Overview
The Project Reconstruction of Road E85 (Vilnius–Lida) of the Trans-European Road Network will be implemented under the 5th Priority Development of Trans-European Transport Network (Measure VP2-5.1-SM-01-V Improvement ofthe Capacity and Technical Parameters of the Trans-European Road Infrastructure)of the Operational Programme for the Economic Growth related to the Lithuanian Strategy for the Use of the EU Structural Assistance for 2007–2013.
Road E85 (A15) Vilnius–Lida connects the capital of Lithuania with the Šalčininkai town. It is part of the trans-European road network and one of the main transport connections on the territory of the Lithuanian-Belarus frontier zone. Transport traffic distributes here: from Vilnius to Lida, from Belarus through Vilnius to the Kaliningrad Region of the Russian Federation and vice versa. This road is also used by transit transport from Poland. Thus, the road integrates into Transport Corridors I (VIA Baltica) and IXB.
The goal of the project is to reconstruct the road sections which do not meet the requirements set for transport corridors as well as to ensure safe and comfortable traffic conditions conforming to the level of traffic volumes, the road significance and international standards. When the reconstruction works of the road E85 (A15) Vilnius–Lida section 30.3–41.5 km are completed, the infrastructure of roads in the South-Eastern part of Lithuania will be improved, the attraction of the route for Lithuanian and foreign drivers will be increased and the following benefits will be achieved:
· Improved local and transit traffic conditions
· Reduced accident rate
· Reduced road maintenance and repair expenditures
· Reduced vehicle operating costs.
The following works will be completed under this project:
· Road reconstruction (length 11.2 km)
· Reconstruction of a bridge over the river Visinčia
· Implementation of road safety measures
· Reconstruction of road engineering networks.