The section of the road A1 between Vilnius and Kaunas has been given a motorway category
The State Enterprise Lithuanian Road Administration informs that from April 1 of this year, the road between Vilnius and Kaunas (section between the kilometres 18.1 and 95 of the highway A1 Vilnius – Kaunas – Klaipėda) will be given the category of a motorway.
Traffic safety and traffic management are critical in giving the category of a motorway to the section between Vilnius and Kaunas of the highway A1. This also makes it possible to drive at higher speeds (or reach the destination faster). After ensuring the necessary safety and technical requirements, it will be possible to drive on this road at a speed of 130 km/h in summer and of 110 km/h in winter.
“Traffic safety is critical in giving the category of a motorway to the section between Vilnius and Kaunas of the highway and in increasing speed on it. In the course of this project, a number of road safety measures, such as barriers, speed control and warning systems, sensors that detect the condition of the road surface, changing signs, has been put in place, also acceleration and deceleration lanes have been enlarged in unsafe locations, etc. In other words, many measures that will have ensure the safety of drivers”, – says Julius Skačkauskas, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications.
“The section between Vilnius and Kaunas has been given the category of a motorway only after a set of engineering road safety measures, which will help ensure not only convenient but also safe use of roads of such intensity, has been implemented. The average annual traffic intensity in the section between Vilnius and Kaunas reaches almost 30 thousand cars per 24 hours, and it is one of the busiest transport arteries of national significance in Lithuania”, – says Remigijus Lipkevičius, Director of the State Enterprise Lithuanian Road Administration.
In the course of the project of the highway A1 Vilnius-Kaunas-Klaipėda, the metal road restraints on the central reservation in the section of the road between Vilnius and Kaunas have been replaced, some road sections have been equipped with wire mesh fences for protection against wild animals. The acceleration and deceleration lanes have been also reconstructed, also crossings at different levels with footpaths have been equipped, and lighting has been installed.
In addition, 49 new speed control and warning systems, consisting of electronic variable message signs (hereinafter – VMS), also weather sensors that record the condition of the road surface, temperature, wind strength and other parameters, and traffic flow analysis equipment, that calculates traffic flows at specific road locations have been installed in the section between Vilnius and Kaunas of the highway A1 Vilnius–Kaunas–Klaipėda. In order to ensure safe transport communication, when traffic conditions change, these systems help drivers choose a safe speed, anticipate potential traffic disruptions.
The main purpose of the reconstruction work in the said road section is to ensure road safety requirements and conditions corresponding to roads of such intensity.
The value of all implemented projects, which were necessary to ensure the requirements for motorways, is about 47.6 million euros.
After April 1 of this year, the overall length of the motorway sections in Lithuania, that fall within the roads A1, A2 and A5, will be 400 km.