Ústí nad Labem - The leadership of Ústí nad Labem wants to build a tunnel that would redirect transit traffic from the city center and become part of the feeder road from Děčín to the D8 motorway. The city hall is expected to pay for a feasibility study, said the mayor's deputy Martin Hausenblas to journalists today. It is a groundbreaking transportation solution, according to the deputy. The tunnel is expected to be over four kilometers long. It should begin at Žižková Street, which connects the center with the D8 motorway, and end in the Neštěmice district. According to the materials from the Ústí municipal office, it would connect to road I/62, which is to be widened from two to three lanes. The costs for its construction and whether this is a realistic option are still unclear. According to the city's vision, the state should build the tunnel. "The outcome is incredible. If this project succeeds, it will provide a timeless solution that will free it from transit traffic and enable traffic regulation throughout the city. The impact on life would be enormous," Hausenblas told ČTK. The Ministry of Transport's position is being clarified by ČTK. According to the Ústí city hall’s plans, the tunnel would not only calm traffic but also ensure the city remains passable during potential floods. Later, the road in the city center is expected to transform into a waterfront promenade. The city hall wants to initially join the feasibility study commissioned by Děčín. "The study should provide answers on what will happen to regional and extra-regional traffic, what the consequences will be," Hausenblas added. Joining the study is estimated to cost the city a maximum of several hundred thousand crowns. He estimates the cost of the tunnel to be 4.5 to five billion crowns. However, the deputy mayor of Děčín, Jiří Anděl, rejected that the Děčín city hall agreed to this with Ústí. Děčín is having three variants of the feeder road worked out, which should be ready by mid-July. "We did not say in any way that we agree to expand our assignment, and we certainly do not want to wait for the completion of your assignment even for a month - we clearly stated that this is out of the question," Anděl told ČTK. According to him, the Ústí city hall should commission its own study. Experts have been addressing the form of connection to the D8 motorway since the 1970s. There are several options. Drivers primarily use road I/13 as a connection to the motorway, and parts of Děčín and Jílové are thus exposed to excessive traffic load and noise. According to spokesperson Markéta Lakomá, the Děčín city hall is taking a reserved stance towards the idea from neighboring Ústí. "What Ústí nad Labem has come up with seems to be financially very demanding, and we do not think that this option would be feasible. It would not fully address the needs of Děčín," Lakomá told ČTK.
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