Krakovets-Lviv-Brody-Rivne and Stryi-Mukachevo may become the first toll roads in Ukraine, but the decision on expediency will be made upon completion of the feasibility study of these projects, Deputy Infrastructure Minister for European Integration Hanna Yurchenko told reporters on Wednesday.
According to her, today there are not so many directions in Ukraine where there can be a toll road, which would be a payback project, due to the level of traffic. This is exclusively about the construction of new concession roads, which will duplicate the existing free routes.
To date, Ukravtodor has received two private initiatives to prepare two new concession projects. Classics of the genre, when it is a road in an open field. It will most likely be paid. The first is the Krakovets-Lviv-Brody-Rivne route (the initiator is Avtomagistral-Yug) – more than 200 km of completely new construction, the alternative road to Kyiv-Chop and M-10 Lviv-Krakovets,” Yurchenko said.
According to her, the second private initiative is the Stryi-Mukachevo road (initiated by Onur). “Today, in principle, it is not a problem to get from Lviv to Zakarpattia region, but because of the passes and buildings on the existing direction, it is technically impossible to expand the road to four lanes. Therefore, the option of building a new road, which will pass slightly east of the existing Kyiv-Chop road, is being considered. If now we usually get from Lviv to Zakarpattia region in 2.5 hours, and even longer in winter, then the new road should reduce travel time by 60%,” Yurchenko said.
The deputy minister added that according to the ministry’s estimates, the feasibility study for Krakovets-Lviv-Brody-Rivne will be completed by the new year, the feasibility study for Stryi-Mukachevo a little later. The decision on the feasibility of each project will be made by Ukravtodor, and then coordinated with the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Finance.
“They can hypothetically be paid, but this will be confirmed after the feasibility study. Then we will be sure whether it is worth charging a fee, whether it will be generated at all, be self-sufficient,” Yurchenko said.
The Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine is preparing for building an airport in Mukachevo (Zakarpattia region), Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Krykliy has said.
“Now it is very important to maintain and develop regional airports. After all, during the pandemic, domestic tourism will remain a priority,” he wrote on his Telegram channel.
According to him, the reconstruction of the runway at the Odesa International Airport is also currently being completed (98% readiness); the airport is being modernized in Dnipro (the new runway, international and VIP terminals); the runway at the Kherson airport is improving; installation of aeronautical equipment at the Mykolaiv airfield is nearing completion.
Ukrzaliznytsia in partnership with Slovakian Railways (ZSSK) from June 9, 2019 will launch daily trains between Kosice (Slovakia) and Mukachevo (Zakarpattia region). According to the press service of Ukrzaliznytsia, in particular, train pair Nos. 960/961 will depart from Kosice at 09:10 (local time) with arrival in Mukachevo at 14:00; and back – at 14:54 with the arrival at 18:13.
Train pair Nos. 962/963 will depart from Kosice at 12:01 with arrival in Mukachevo at 16:42; and back – at 18:20 with the arrival at 21:33. The train will make stops in Cierna nad Tisou and Chop. The ticket price will be about EUR 7.50.
