The S5 expressway Ornowo – Wirwajdy near Ostróda opened for use 5 months ahead of schedule

Budimex has completed the construction of another section of the S5 expressway for the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways Division in Olsztyn.

The new section of the S5 connects the Ostróda bypass on national road No. 16 with the existing course of national road No. 16 in the vicinity of Wirwajdy, together with the adaptation of the existing section of national road No. 16 from the Ostróda South junction to the Ostróda West junction. The construction of the 2+2 S5 began in July 2020. The contract deadline, according to the agreement, was set for 28/5/2023. The value of the contract with the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways Division in Olsztyn is PLN 165.6 million net.

Nearly 1,000,000 m3 of land was used in the course of the project. Additionally, due to the presence of soft soils to a depth of 13.5 m in an area of 12,500 m2, the ground was reinforced with concrete and gravel columns with a maximum column length. Ultimately, 75,000 tonnes of bituminous compounds were used to build the road.

There were 4 new engineering structures built along the expressway (2 underpass tunnels for large animals, and 2 road viaducts over existing roads) and 2 engineering structures built over the expressway. For ecological purposes, Budimex also completed 6 culverts intended for small animals. During the construction of the engineering structures, 7,000 m3 of concrete and 600 tonnes of steel were used.

The construction of the S5 expressway on the Ornowo – Wirwajdy section is another road project of Budimex in Warmia and Masuria. Previously, the Polish contractor completed the Smolajny and Olsztyn bypass and the southern bypass of Ostróda Pododcinek B, i.e. a nearly 10 km section of the S7 expressway (9.7 km), as well as a slightly shorter national road No. 16 (9 km). The scope of works of the Ostróda project also included the construction of the largest extradosed bridge in Europe. This record four-span bridge with a total length of 677 metres was completed with cantilever technology.

Currently, in this province, Budimex is also carrying out the extension of regional road No. 527 along the Łukta – Olsztyn section. The completion date is planned for June 2023.