Summary sheet
The project consists of two components, as follows: (i) construction, largely on a new alignment, of 82 km of 2 x 2 expressway between Nowa Sol and Legnica (2 x 3 between Polkowice and Lubin where the existing 2 x 2 will be widened); (ii) construction of three other separate works, namely the conversion to 2 x 2 expressway standard of the approx. existing 12 km Gorzow and 6 km Miedzyrzecz bypasses as well as the 44 km section between Sulechow and Nowa Sol. Both components are in western Poland. These sections form part of the 470 km S3 expressway corridor from the Czech border in southern Poland to Swinoujscie on the Baltic coast, a north-south route which is under incremental development and is expected to be completed in the next programming period (2014-2020). The S3 is part of the TEN-T core network corridor “Baltic-Adriatic".
The project is located in a Convergence region and is therefore eligible under Article 309(a). All sections are already included in the existing TEN-T and are proposed for inclusion in the TEN-T network as part of the ongoing Revision Guidelines to be approved by the Council and Parliament. The project is therefore also eligible under Article 309 (c) of the EC treaty.
Most sections of the project fall under Annex I of EIA Directive 2011/92/EU requiring a full EIA procedure and the project has been subject to multiple environmental procedures. The project may impact several Natura 2000 areas, so the provisions of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Birds Directive (2009/147/EC) apply. The investments are included in the National Road Construction Program and the current European Commission supported programme “Operational Program Infrastructure and Environment 2007-2013” both of which were subject to strategic environmental assessment. Compliance with all the relevant Directives will be further reviewed during appraisal.
The Bank will require the Promoter to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project have been/shall be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directives 2004/18/EC and 2007/66/EC), with publication of tender notices in the EU Official Journal, as and where appropriate.