A new 11km section of the D1 highway in Slovakia is now open to drivers. The stretch bypasses Zilina and connects Hricovske Podhradie with Lietavska Lucka. This section of the D1 includes the Zilina tunnel and the 2.5km Ovciarsko tunnel. The work cost €445.17 million and construction was carried out by a contracting consortium comprising Doprastav Metrostav, Strabag and Vahostav.
Construction of the tunnel sections posed challenges for the builders.
The D1 forms part of the trans-European Network (TEN) and is Corridor 5, connecting Ukraine with the Venice, on the Mediterranean. The Slovakian section of the route connects Ukraine with Vienna and runs through Bratislava.