In Poland, a public initiative to build a new S46 highway is gaining momentum. This road is planned to directly connect the Czech and Ukrainian borders. The project, given the historical name "Old Polish Trail," aims to create a strong transport corridor through the southern and central regions of the country.
The authors of the idea emphasize that the S46 route will pass through important cities such as Opole, Częstochowa, Kielce, and Lublin. Activists believe that a modern road will strongly encourage investment, leading to the construction of new factories, warehouses, and logistics centers.
"This is not just a road, but a magnet for business. Creating new jobs will help stop people from moving from small towns to big cities and will open a full European corridor from the Czech Republic through Poland directly to Ukraine," says public activist Andrzej Gbur.
Besides the public sector, the army is also interested in the project. The city authorities of Częstochowa point out that the new highway will provide different routes for moving troops and delivering aid to Ukraine. Given the current geopolitical situation, an additional high-speed road will greatly improve the mobility of the Polish armed forces.
Poland shows impressive road construction progress: currently, about 5,500 kilometers of highways are open in the country, and this number is planned to reach 8,000 kilometers by the early 2030s.
However, the S46 project also has skeptics. Some experts, pointing to the demographic decline in Poland, urge to focus on finishing projects that have already started, such as the ring road around Warsaw. Nevertheless, residents of the Silesian and Opole voivodeships hope that the government will include the "Old Polish Trail" in the state program. If approved, construction could be completed within the next eight years.
