On June 27, 2022, the Administration and Maintenance of Roads of the Prešov Self-Governing Region (SÚC PSK) began the implementation of its largest investment event in the High Tatras region – the reconstruction of road II/537, also known as the freedom road.
This important traffic artery, passing through the extra-vilan and intra-vilan of several Tatra municipalities, is one of the longest roads in the Tatra region. SÚC PSK, in the interest of contributing to the attractiveness of the region and increasing traffic mobility in it, plans to renovate approximately 42 km of this road in the near future through the Vysoké Tatry road project. According to the project, construction work will take place in the following sections:
The construction works, in addition to the reconstruction of the aforementioned road sections, will also include the elimination of safety risks on 27 bridges, 81 culverts, 14 retaining and 12 retaining walls, as well as the construction of 4 rest stops, 1 semi-overpass and other paved areas along the affected road. In the coming days, work will begin in the sections Podbanské – Pavúčia dolina and Tatranské Matliare – the intersection with road I/66, which leads to the village of Ždiar.
Financing of the Vysoké Tatry road project is provided from EU funds – Integrated Regional Operational Program 2014-2020 (IROP), the state budget and PSK’s own resources. The expected budget cost of this investment event is estimated at approximately 43 million. €.
Traffic restrictions in the form of a partial road closure will apply during construction works. The traffic, which will alternate in both directions in one lane, will be regulated by portable traffic signs, signaling equipment or by the contractor’s workers. Road users must also expect a reduced permitted speed of 30 km/h.