Budimex, the leader of the Polish construction market, has completed its first contract in Slovakia – a major highway interchange near Bratislava. The new junction at the crossing of the D1 and D4 highways was opened 90 days ahead of schedule, significantly relieving the Slovak capital of heavy traffic.
The project, worth €110.85 million, was carried out under a design-and-build formula. Over 160 structures were built, including 18 bridges, 8 new highway connectors, and more than 5 kilometres of upgraded D1 route. The contractor installed 3.594 km of acoustic screens, over 1,000 square metres of large-format road signs, and nearly 1.4 km of retaining and skeletal walls. At peak, more than 3,000 workers and 1,600 pieces of equipment were deployed.
Technical challenges under live traffic
One of the biggest challenges was raising the elevation of the D1 highway – the busiest in Slovakia – while keeping it fully operational. This was necessary to match the height profile of the D4 highway. Despite the complexity, the entire eight-leg interchange was opened to drivers three months early. As Cezary Łysenko, board member and operational director of Budimex, pointed out: – For us it was a huge challenge, because it is the most complicated contract on the territory of the entire Slovak Republic. The exit to the north-eastern part of Slovakia actually depended on the node we rebuilt. – The early opening allowed the transfer of over 2,100 heavy trucks per day away from the overloaded Prístavný bridge.
The new junction reroutes international and regional traffic before it enters Bratislava, eliminating the notorious bottleneck near Zlaté Piesky. The Slovak infrastructure minister, present at the opening ceremony, highlighted the positive impact on traffic flow, air quality, and safety.
Seeking new missions on the Slovak market
Budimex has been present in Slovakia since 2021 but so far has only won this one contract. Yet the company is determined to grow. – The Slovak market has a lot to do, it only depends on the availability of funds from investors such as the NDS and Slovak railways. We want to build a portfolio that will allow us to operate on the Slovak market as we do elsewhere. For three years we have been operating based on D1 and D4. We are looking for a contract worth at least €100-150 million. If we find it, it will give us space for several years of operation here – said Cezary Łysenko.
Artur Popko, CEO of Budimex, added: – We have proven that we can successfully carry out significant projects also in Slovakia. – The company is already active in Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Latvia. Its strategy is to generate around PLN 1.5 billion annually from foreign projects, i.e. 10-15% of its total portfolio, treating international markets as a stabiliser and complement to the domestic core business.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Michał Wroński / PTWP
