Will S11 experience a delay? Environmentalists filed an appeal
Sections of the S11 route between Oborniki and Szczecinek are still waiting for environmental decisions. GDOŚ must first consider appeals from ecologists.
The construction of the S11 expressway section from Szczecinek south, towards Piła and further to Poznań, is encountering delays. Although the works in Western Pomerania are progressing according to schedule, and the last stage of this part of the route should be completed by mid-2026, the situation south of Szczecinek raises some concerns.
Work progress
Currently, intensive work is underway on the S11 section from Bobolice to Szczecinek, which is valued at over PLN 1.1 billion. This investment, together with the already completed sections from Koszalin and Kołobrzeg, will close the construction stage of the S11 road in Western Pomerania. Ultimately, this route is to connect Central Pomerania with the A2 motorway in Poznań and further with the Silesia region, but the key works are currently moving towards Greater Poland.
The first positive step took place in March, when the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) in Poznań selected a contractor for the 22-kilometer Oborniki bypass. The consortium of Mirbud and Kobylarnia will build this section for PLN 853 million, which should solve the bottleneck problem on this route by 2027.
The contractor is waiting for the decision
Other sections of the route from Oborniki to Szczecinek are still awaiting consideration of key environmental decisions. At the end of August 2023, the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Poznań issued an environmental decision for the 59-kilometer section of S11 between Szczecinek and Piła. This decision determines the route of the road, enabling road designers to develop a detailed concept and prepare geological and engineering documentation. Four organizations, including two ecological ones, filed appeals. They point to errors in the analysis of route variants, the lack of sufficient environmental impact assessment, including the analysis of the ecological corridor network, and the need to design animal crossings.
The appeals along with full documentation were forwarded to the General Directorate for Environmental Protection, which deals with their consideration. According to Joanna Niedźwiedzka, spokeswoman for GDOŚ, due to deficiencies in the documentation, the management requested additional explanations, which were received only in September. The new deadline for considering appeals is set for November 29, 2024.
