EIB to provide additional loan for Polish motorway project

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to provide €250 million ($335 million) to Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) for the construction of a further section of the A1 motorway in Poland.

Under the plans, a 144 km section of dual two-lane tolled motorway will be constructed on a new alignment from Torun to Stryków along with associated access roads in central Poland.

The project is part of a 580 km of the A1 motorway development, which will form a part of the priority trans-European network (TEN-T) corridors.

The A1 motorway will connect the Baltic Sea across Poland to the Czech Republic and Slovakia to Austria.

It will provide a transit connection between Gdansk and Vienna through Katowice and Brno.

EIB has previously provided a loan of €350 million ($469 million) for the project and the latest investment is the second tranche of the finance for the development of the section.

EIB vice president responsible for lending in Poland László Baranyay said the funds will help to eliminate bottlenecks and reduce travel time on one of the main Polish motorways by providing additional capacity and contributing to improved travel quality and safety.