On Wednesday, contracts were signed between the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development and the Voivodship Marshals at the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy for the co-financing of 9 road projects under the European Funds for Eastern Poland programme.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz.

‘Under the European Funds for Eastern Poland programme, we are signing 9 contracts with 5 voivodships for 9 road investments. The projects will receive 85% funding, totalling almost PLN 2.4 billion. This means 214 km of upgraded roads and 17 km of new roads. This means better connectivity within the region and with the rest of the country. This means better access to services, jobs and schools,’

Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz said.

The Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy emphasised that three principles will be implemented in the country’s development policy: national solidarity, i.e. support for regions that need a development boost the most’ a better quality of life for all and competitiveness within the European Union.

‘The signed agreements are part of the European Funds for Eastern Poland programme, which is an absolute priority for the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy. These voivodeships need support and they will get it,’

the Minister said.

The Head of the MDFRP emphasised that a record PLN 12 billion has been allocated to the Eastern Poland Development Programme under the current EU financial perspective until 2027.

Extension of voivodeship roads in eastern Poland

The investments will involve the construction and reconstruction of 9 voivodeship roads in Eastern Poland. The value of the projects amounts to nearly PLN 2.8 billion of which more than PLN 2.3 billion is co-financed from the European Funds.

The purpose of the investment will be to create better connections to the European transport network (TEN-T), important logistical hubs (border crossings, intermodal terminals, railway hubs) and to facilitate public transport.

Investments will also include the construction or reconstruction of bypasses and improvements to traffic safety. Taking transit traffic out of the towns and cities is a tangible benefit for the region’s residents – their quality of life and safety will improve while noise and air pollution will be reduced.

The investments will help improve road connections in Eastern Poland and better link the macro-region with the rest of the country and with the European Union. They will have a positive impact on both freight and passenger transport.

This will increase competitiveness and boost entrepreneurship in Eastern Poland, improve access to labour markets, education and other public services for the population.

New roads in Eastern Poland – results of the call for projects

As a result of a competitive call for projects, 9 projects worth PLN 2 billion 799 million in total have been selected for funding. The value of the funding from the European Funds amounted to PLN 2 billion 379 million. In the individual voivodeships, these projects will involve:

• Mazowieckie Voivodeship – extension of a section of provincial road No. 747 from the junction with national road No. 9 in Iłża to the junction with national road No. 79 in Lipsk – project amount: PLN 579 million 178 thousand, EU contribution: PLN 492 million 301 thousand;
• Podkarpackie Voivodeship – reconstruction/extension/construction of provincial road No. 865 along the Sobiecin-Cieszanów section – project amount: PLN 258 million 459 thousand, EU contribution: PLN 219 million 690 thousand;
• Podlaskie Voivodeship – Łomża-Mężenin – construction and extension of voivodeship road No. 679 – project amount: PLN 298 million 473 thousand, EU contribution:  PLN 253 million 702 thousand; Juszkowy Gród-Zwodzieckie – construction and extension of provincial road 687, and Tarnopol-Siemianówka – construction of provincial road 688 – project amount: PLN 298 million 657 thousand, EU contribution:  PLN 253 million 859 thousand;
• Świętokrzyskie Voivodship - extension of provincial road No. 744 along the Tychów Stary-Starachowice section – project amount: PLN 90 million, EU contribution: PLN 76.5 million; construction of a bypass around Bogoria in the line of provincial road No. 757 – project amount: PLN 71 million 278 thousand, EU contribution:  PLN 60 million 586 thousand; construction of a bypass for the town of Nowy Korczyn – project amount: PLN 154 million 106 thousand, EU contribution:  PLN 130 million 990 thousand;
• Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship – extension of the interregional traffic route Kętrzyn – eastern border of the voivodeship along the following sections: DW 592, DW 655, DW 653 – project amount: PLN 745 million 81 thousand, EU contribution:  PLN 633,319,000; construction of a provincial road to bypass Kętrzyn – project amount: PLN 303 million 977 thousand, PLN 258 million 381 thousand.