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From: Budzisko, Polish-Lithuanian border To: S8 near Ostrów Mazowiecka | ||
Expressway S61 or express road S61 is a major planned road in Poland which is going to run from the Lithuanian A5 at the Polish-Lithuanian border near Budzisko to intersect express road S8 near Ostrów Mazowiecka. The expressway became part of the Poland's planned expressway network with the approval of the Council of Ministers of Poland of October 20, 2009. It's planned to become a part of Via Baltica route and is viewed as a way to minimise environmental impact of Via Baltica on protected areas in northeastern Poland.
The only parts of the route which have their locations finalized are the short bypasses of Augustów, Szczuczyn and Stawiski. The rest of the road is in very early planning stages and there is no definite estimate when it will be built. Some Polish government documents estimate this road will be fully finished some time between 2021 and 2027, but it could be finished earlier if funding for it is secured from the European Union.
In March, 2012 the section forming the bypass of Stawiski (6,5 km long) was put out to tender, and it opened to traffic in December, 2013. At present it is only a single carriegeway road, with plans to add a second carriageway in the future.
The second part to open was the bypass of Augustów, finished and opened to traffic in November 2014.