Both drivers and pedestrians can already use the tunnel in Lentvaris
From the afternoon of today, December 1, traffic is already running through the tunnel under the level crossing in Lentvaris. This tunnel can be used not only by drivers but also by pedestrians – the tunnel is equipped with a pedestrian zone completely separated from the car traffic. The entire project is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2022, when the work related to the infrastructure management of this project, such as fence installation, finishing, and other, will be completed.
‘A modern transport hub, that perfectly combines train, car and pedestrian traffic, has been equipped in Lentvaris. The problem, that lasted for many years and made it difficult to cross the railway line, is finally solved – so far, the city was divided into two parts by the railway. The result of the work performed will ensure smooth, harmonious and safe traffic. So, investment in this infrastructure is really meaningful’, – says Julius Skačkauskas, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications.
During the project in Lentvaris, a bus stop and a car parking for cars and buses were equipped near the underground railway crossing, in the continuation of Dzūkų Street, that is being newly installed. Therefore, people, who want to travel by train, can reach the railway station in Lentvaris not only by public transport, but also by their own car.
This project is unique because of the technology used by the contractor – for the first time in Lithuania and in the Baltic States the tunnel was pushed under the rail tracks without disrupting train traffic. The railways were ‘hung’ on temporary steel structures, which rested on temporary micropole-type foundation. Tunnel segments were concreted on the construction site installed at the required depth. These segments were pushed by jacks along the axis of the tunnel. At the same time, soil was being excavated and removed from inside the tunnel. The tunnel for cars and pedestrians is 64 m long, 15.4 m wide and weighs 6720 tons.
According to Remigijus Lipkevičius, Director of the State Enterprise Lithuanian Road Administration, after this tunnel was constructed within less than one year, the decades-long problem of halving the city of Lentvaris was resolved. Now, road users will be able to travel safely from one side of the city to the other and there will be no more time wasting while waiting by the level crossing because of intensive train traffic.
“It should be emphasized that this is not the first project of the State Enterprise Lithuanian Road Administration, that was completed together with the partners, when the separate parts of the cities, that had been divided into several parts for many years, were connected. After the infrastructure was arranged together with the partners – local municipalities and LTG Infra, separate parts of such cities as Plungė and Mažeikiai were connected. And now the two parts of Lentvaris have been also connected. I hope that this is unique engineering structure will contribute substantially to the public welfare and convenience”, – says R. Lipkevičius.
“The new two-level crossing in Lentvaris ensures extremely safe and convenient conditions for cars, cyclists and pedestrians to cross the railway, and also allows to increase the mobility of people with special needs. The modern crossing opens up the opportunities of organising train traffic through the city by ensuring the lowest possible noise level. In addition, in September of this year, LTG Infra has completed one more project – a noise barrier, that improves the quality of life of people living near the railway, was installed in Lentvaris”, – says Karolis Sankovski, CEO of LTG Infra.
‘It is no secret that the railway crossing in Lentvaris was the reason for disrupted agendas and lives of the locals and guests, who had to adjust them significantly. The newly installed tunnel not only has already resolved the decades-long transport communication problem, but it has also normalized the rhythm of life of the residents of Lentvaris – the city has finally become an integral and indivisible. In turn, I thank the partners and contractors for the prompt and smooth work. The today’s event is the biggest and most important gift of 2021 both for me, as the resident of Lentvaris, and for the residents of our entire municipality!’, – says Andrius Šatevičius, Mayor of Trakai district.
The implementation of the project of the reconstruction of the level crossing in Lentvaris and of the new construction of the tunnel on the kilometre 4.95 of the district road No 4707 of national importance Grigiškės–Lentvaris–Dobrovolė was started under the partnership contract between the SE Lithuanian Road Administration, Trakai District Municipality and AB Lietuvos Geležinkeliai, that was signed in August 2020. The value of the contract is 20.7 million euros, including VAT. The project is funded from the Road Maintenance and Development Programme and using the investment funds of the European Union.