Highway D1 (Czech Republic)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Length: | 248 km (154 mi) |
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| Planned length: | 376 km |
| From: | MO in Prague |
| Major junctions: |
 R1 near Dobřejovice (planned) R52 near Brno
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| To: |  A1 border with Poland |
| Countries: | Czech Republic |
| Regions: | Praha, Central Bohemian Region, Vysočina Region, South Moravian Region, Zlín Region, Moravian-Silesian Region |
| Major cities: | Praha, Jihlava, Brno, Přerov, Ostrava |
Highway D1 (Czech: Dálnice D1) is the main highway of the Czech Republic. Now it is connecting two Czech biggest cities Prague and Brno, further also third Ostrava and border with Poland (motorway A1). As of 2006, it is 248 km long, planned length is 347 km.
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[edit] History
Increasing automobile traffic in 1930s Czechoslovakia triggers the discussions on construction of new roads designed to carry a large volume of traffic. Plans dealt with backbone road from Bohemia, through Moravia and Slovakia to Carpathian Ruthenia in many variants. Most successful was plan of Cheb – Plzeň – Německý Brod – Brno – Žilina - Užgorod – Chust highway, sponsored by Bata Shoes company owner Jan Antonín Baťa in 1937, changed into detailed project year after.
After Munich Agreement in 1938 cut some fundamental road and rail routes, government is triggering works of fast preparation of three major infrastructure projects into new borders, Německý Brod - Brno railway, Plzeň - Ostrava road and 4-lane highway Prague - Velký Bočkov (on Czechoslovak - Romanian border). Project of first segment Prague - Lužná is ready in January 1939, while construction begin on 24 January in Chřiby on Zástřizly - Lužná segment.
German occupation of Czechoslovakia brought only small technical changes to project and construction of another segment Prague - Humpolec begun in May 1939. Increasing demands of World War II are slowing down construction, works are completely halted in 1942. After war works are resumed mainly on major bridges in 1946, but only with a small workforce. Segment in Chřiby is abandoned in 1949, Prague - Humpolec one year later. All 77 km remain abandoned.
[edit] Segments
In 1960s traffic was growing very fast, and a new plan for a D1 highway Prague - Soviet Union border was available soon. Works on Prague - Brno part started on 1967 using major part of old highway route. First was completed 21 km long Prague - Mirošovice segment in 1971, complete 205 km long route to Brno in 1980.
In the Slovak part it began in 1973 by the construction of the part Ivachnová - Liptovský Mikuláš, a 14 km long section along with the construction of the Liptovská Mara dam. The 19 km Prešov - Košice motorway was added in 1980. In late 1980s and early 1990s 19 km long Brno - Vyškov segment were built and another 20 km from Liptovský Mikuláš to Hybe in the Slovak part.
After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia route changes, it was no longer planned to Slovakia, but instead to Lipník nad Bečvou (replacement of planned route is the Expressway R49). Due to the growing traffic near Prague, the first opened segment to Mirošovice was widened from 4 lanes to 6 lanes and similar plans for widening are around Brno as well. After the dissolution, apart from the widening no new sections were built. In 2002, construction of 18 km long extension from Vyškov towards east started and it was opened in 2005. Currently, segments around Kroměříž are under construction. The segment from Lipník nad Bečvou to Ostrava is being constructed (due to historical reasons) as Highway D47, but it will be opened as part of Highway D1.
[edit] Highway altitude
- Maximum: 640 metres above sea level (km 97)
- Minimum: 210 metres above sea level (km 196)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Exit list of Highway D1
- Info on ceskedalnice.cz (Czech)
- Info on dalnice-silnice.cz (Czech)
- Info about pre-war bridges on dalnice.com
| Highways and Expressways in the Czech republic |  |
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| Highway D1 | Highway D2 | Highway D3 | Highway D5 | Highway D8 | Highway D11 | ||
| Expressway R1 | Expressway R3 | Expressway R4 | Expressway R6 | Expressway R7 | Expressway R10 | Expressway R35 | Expressway R43 | Expressway R46 | Expressway R48 | Expressway R49 | Expressway R52 | Expressway R55 | Expressway R56 | Expressway R63 |
