The planned construction of the missing section of the D3 motorway from Prague to České Budějovice via the Benešov region has raised several concerns among representatives of the municipalities affected by the project. The construction plans include the building of tunnels and bridges in Posázaví, parking lots for trucks, and the construction of water pipelines.

On Thursday, representatives of the municipalities, state, and Road and Motorway Directorate (ŘSD) met in Jílové u Prahy to discuss and debate the proposed construction plans. During the meeting, several mayors expressed their frustration with the poor communication from the Regional Directorate of Transport, with one mayor stating, “We are angry that they do not communicate with us. We get some promises at the meeting, but then nothing happens; they forget about us.”

Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) immediately responded to the criticism and promised to improve communication by ensuring that the entries of the meeting would be received within 30 days.

Another concern raised by the mayors is the risk of losing groundwater, particularly around Jílové, where the motorway is to be mostly underground. Pavel Pešek (Choice for the City), the mayor of Jílový, said that there are fears that the water could be swept away during the construction and excavation of the exploratory tunnels. The organization Alternativa D3, which is against the motorway construction, also highlighted this issue and insisted that it is enough to cap the existing I-3 road running through Benešov.

In response, Radek Mátl, the director of the Regional Directorate of Transport, confirmed that monitoring of the groundwater situation is underway and that the construction of local water supply systems is being prepared. He also assured that the construction of water supply systems would precede the construction of the motorway to prevent water loss. Additionally, Mátl stated that ŘSD wants to negotiate with municipalities about noise walls and embankments to minimize noise pollution for the surrounding areas.

While some mayors expressed that the motorway would not help their municipalities, others like the mayor of Miličín, Václav Karda (Pro Miličínsko) argued that the D3 would help them and that it is unrealistic to say otherwise. The Alternative D3 Association also pointed out that the construction costs are high and questioned what all is included in the estimate from 2015.

Transport Minister Kupka and Radek Mátl, however, stated that the prices have not yet been raised dramatically in construction tenders and that they are basing their prices on expert prices. They also stated that the construction could start in 2025 and be completed by the end of the decade.

Minister Kupka also announced that the state would not build the Central Bohemian section of the D3 motorway using the so-called PPP project, which would involve private money, as it would be too risky due to frequent appeals and lawsuits by opponents of the route.

Article by Prague Forum