Alytus railway viaduct opens after reconstruction

The project will improve traffic safety and eliminate jams in the Lithuanian city

The reconstruction of the railway viaduct in Alytus is now complete, with the section of Naujosios Street stretching from the viaduct to the city border handed over. The last phase of the project which took more than a decade to implement included the installation of a new roundabout.

The ceremonial ribbon was cut on 18 October by the Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis, the Mayor of Alytus City Municipality Nerijus Cesiulis, the Head of the Road Projects Team of AB LTG Infra Vytautas Tilinskas and the General Director of Alkesta AB Rimantas Morkūnas.

Eliminating traffic congestion and accidents

According to Karolis Sankovskis, General Director of LTG Infra, the new viaduct will greatly improve traffic safety and eliminate jams.

“The reconstructed railway viaduct over the main artery of Alytus - Naujosios Street - allowed us to solve a sensitive issue for the city. We increased the capacity of the street by installing four traffic lanes instead of two. But the width of the old viaduct between the supports was not enough to accommodate the four lanes underneath, so the reconstruction of the viaduct was vital. The project will increase traffic safety and is likely to reduce congestion in the city during peak hours as well as environmental pollution,” said Sankovski, as quoted by the municipal website. 

The revamped viaduct boasts new steel arches and reinforced concrete supports. Naujosios Street which connects the northern entrance of the city with the city centre accommodates the largest traffic flows - more than 9,000 cars a day. The reconstruction project will help to disperse traffic while improving traffic safety - by installing four traffic lanes instead of two and separating the pedestrian and bicycle path from the carriageway.

Funding woes

Defining the old viaduct as a traffic accident hotspot and disgrace to the city, the Mayor of Alytus Nerijus Cesiulis retraced the steps of the project which was conceived back in 2003, but suffered delays due to funding shortfalls. During the inauguration ceremony, the mayor presented letters of thanks to the companies involved in the project.

"This object (the reconstructed viaduct) is aesthetically beautiful, functional and much needed by the city. It often happens that some people make decisions and others cut ribbons. I am glad that I was a member of the commission which voted in favour of resolving the financing issues of this project,” said the Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis.