KYIV. Jan 22 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The first stage of building a new two-track Beskydsky tunnel has been completed.
According to the press service of the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine, as a whole the new two-track tunnel will replace the existing single track one, which was built in 1886. It has a speed limit of 15-40km/h and remains the only “narrow” place in the Chop-Lviv direction. The new tunnel is designed for a speed of 60-70 km/h and increase the capacity of this section of the track from 47 to 100 pairs of trains per day.
The ministry points out that the tunnel is of strategic importance because it is part of the fifth corridor from Italy to Ukraine.
“The construction of a new tunnel is another project thanks to which Ukraine will be able to realize its transit potential. Today 60% of traffic that goes through the western border, including in transit, are carried out through the Beskydsky tunnel. The new tunnel will allow us to create competitive conditions for freight carriage on this direction,” Minister of Infrastructure Andriy Pyvovarsky stated.
