Breakthrough of the southern tunnel tube at the bypass of Žilina

On 28 January 2016 – after nearly ten months of tunnelling of Považský Chlmec tunnel – a ceremony of breakthrough of the tunnel tube in its entire length of 2,170 meters took place. The tunnel builders of the construction company HOCHTIEF CZ have already commenced concreting of the permanent lining.

The tunnel which is almost 2.2 km long is driven simultaneously from at least six faces in continuous operation 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Generally it means involvement of 200 employees – tunnel experts, explosives managers, electricians and mechanics. Similar scope of driving capacities is not engaged in any other tunnel project in the Slovak or Czech Republic.  

Považský Chlmec tunnel is part of the construction project D3 Žilina (Strážov) – Žilina (Brodno) which is located in the northwest of Žilina and forms connection between the current section of D3 and the road 1/11 towards Kysucké Nové Mesto. It will serve for transfer of transit traffic outside the city of Žilina within the north-south transport corridor. The section is 4.25 km long and consists of an elevated highway above the hydraulic structure Hričov (1,471 m long), Považský Chlmec tunnel, bridge across the Kysuca River and connection to the existing road 1/11. The contractor is the Joint Venture D3 Žilina (Strážov) –  Žilina (Brodno) consisting of the following members – EUROVIA SK, a.s.,  HOCHTIEF CZ a.s. and STAVBY MOSTOV SLOVAKIA, a.s. The tunnel contractor is HOCHTIEF CZ a.s. According to the time schedule arising from the deadlines set by the client the tunnel shall be finished within fourteen months and the road in it shall be completed within 23 months since commencement of the tunnelling. The investor is NDS (the National Motorway Company).