The modernization of the western section of the 3rd transit railway corridor Prague – Pilsen – Cheb – German border started today on 32 kilometres between the towns of Stříbro and Planá u Mariánských Lázní. The project worth more than 5 billion crowns will be carried out by a consortium of companies lead by Skanska, whose share amounts to 2.26 billion. The customer is the local railway authority drawing finance from the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure and European Union’s Cohesion Fund.
„Our country is a natural transport intersection in Central Europe and the 3rd corridor is important for the connection of Eastern and Western Europe. Therefore this section ranks among our key projects this year,“ said Leoš Verner of Skanska DS.
The modernization of this section of the 3rd transit corridor follows the renovation of the sections Pilsen - Stříbro and Planá u Mariánských Lázní – Cheb that are both underway. The modernization will increase travelling speed on the track to 120 kilometres per hour.
The total of 44 bridges will be renovated on the track, one new bridge will be built in Svojšín to replace the current road crossing. Another railway bridge will be changed into a road bridge. All three tunnels on the track will be renovated, too. Their length is 152m, 52m and 291m. The project also includes the renovation of tracks and the construction of new platforms in seven stations.
Residential areas will be protected by sound barriers. Windows will be replaced in several buildings. New engineering networks will be built along the track together with signalization.
Skanska is the leader of the consortium (45% share), the members are OHL ŽS (37%) and SSŽ (18%). The works on this section will be finished by May 2011, the whole 3rd corridor will be fully renovated by 2016.
Technical details: Length of modernized section: 30.06km Number of new switches: 42 Renovation of platforms: internal 740m external 1,390m Railway bridges – renovated 44 Railway bridges – new 1 Railway bridged turned into a road bridge 1 New railway bridge 2 New underpass 4