Construction of a new road to Vilnius Airport. IXB transport corridor

A newly constructed street will connect IXB transport corridor with Vilnius International Airport. By implementing the project, a two-level intersection with connecting roads will be built on Žirniai Street, a street between the viaduct and Tyzenhauzai Street, also sections of A. Gustaitis and Tyzenhauzai Streets will be reconstructed. The total length of bridges and streets- about 3.4 km. It is expected that the newly constructed street in Vilnius will enable to improve communication between the city and the airport. Construction works of connecting Žirniai Street with Vilnius International Airport have been finished within 6 months, 3 months sooner than it had planned at the beginning of the project. “This transport infrastructure project was implemented in a strikingly short term. This is not a usual term for such scale construction in Lithuania. Within hardly 6 months, a road section was arranged, two streets were reconstructed and three new streets were aligned, also a viaduct was built. The total length of all of them amounts to as many as 3.48 km. Up till now, F.Vaitkus str. was daily crossed by 15.8 thousand vehicles, and since now this flow will be redirected also to Vikingai street”, told Vilnius Mayor Artūras Zuokas. The construction works started on 10 April, whereas the new Vikingai Street to Vilnius airport was built in less than 3 months, on 1 July this street was used by transport vehicles. Within another 3 months, a viaduct above Žirniai Street in Vilnius was erected, intersections regulated by traffic lights were installed, and connecting roads were built. “This project was a challenge for our company which we have overcome successfully. I am pleased that we may prove once again, that we work in a fast, quality and responsible manner. I am grateful to Vilnius city municipality for trust and close as well as successful cooperation. I am proud of hard working and responsible employees of Kauno Tiltai Company who succeeded in implementing this infrastructure project crucial for the city and the country”, told Mr. Nerijus Eidukevičius, Chairman of the Board of Kauno Tiltai AB. Until now it was possible to reach the Vilnius International Airport by the only ones F.Vaitkus and S.Darius ir S.Girėnas streets where traffic jams used to form due to intensive traffic. The newly aligned 4-lane street and a built viaduct improved communication with Vilnius International Airport, and connected into one totality the most important roads of Lithuania: E85 highway Vilnius - Kaunas - Klaipėda, E28 route Vilnius - Minsk, E272 route Vilnius - Panevėžys and E85 route Vilnius - Lyda. Apart from the built and reconstructed streets and 90-m long viaduct, also rainwater drainage systems and power networks were arranged, public transport waiting pavilions were installed, three intersections regulated with traffic lights as well as modern street lighting were installed, new bicycle and pedestrian tracks were aligned. Figures and facts about the project:

• The construction works of the LTL 53 million-worth project “IXB transport corridor (Žirniai str.) and connection of Vilnius International Airport” were accomplished within 6 months. They lasted from 10 April till 10 October.
• In the site of the project construction 150 workers and 130 different pieces of machinery worked in two shifts.
• During the construction, over 600 thousand tons of ground was excavated that was transported by 40 thousand trucks. For installing the road pavement, over 8,000 m3 or 800 trucks of dolomite gravel were used. For asphalting streets and connecting roads, approximately 16 thousand tons of asphalt was poured down.
• In total, over 14 km of engineering networks were installed. The most sophisticated works of installing engineering networks consisting of the laying down of over 80m-long pipes with a diameter of 120 mm - 170 mm under the railway applying the microtunneling technique.
• 9,379 m2 of pavements and 5,442 m2 of bicycle tracks were built. 539 traffic signs were erected, and 3385 m2 of road lines and marks were marked with polymer paint. 1390 road reflectors were installed. 1076m –long metal guard railings were installed.
• By preparing for surfacing with concrete the viaduct span structure that took 16 hours without interruption, 1600 m2 of moulds and 9600 m3 of scaffolds were set up. To install the 90 m-long and 20.25 m-wide span structure of the viaduct, 1060 m3 high quality concrete, 90 tons of reinforcements and 42 tons of cables were used. To lighten the span structure, 648 meters of metal corrugated pipes were used what allowed to reduce the span weight and to use building materials in a more optimal way. 285 tons of asphalt was necessary for asphalting the viaduct. The viaduct may withhold over 100 tons of weight, or 70 light duty vehicles.
• The technology of pretensioned cables was used for installing the viaduct span structure in Žirniai Street which was used by Kauno tiltai while building scaffold bridges in the Jakai roundabout in Klaipėda.
• Traffic in the most intensive Žirniai Street was no suspended even during the performance of the most sophisticated works. Safety of traffic participants and workers was ensured by limiting the biggest permissible speed in the street.