Czech D3 highway extension opens, easing traffic in South Bohemia

A new 7.2‑km segment of the D3 highway, linking Úsilné and Hodějovice, was completed as part of the European D3 Úsilné – Hodějovice project. The construction includes the Pohůrka tunnel, six bridges, over‑passes, noise‑reduction walls and upgraded local roads. According to Jan Rýdl, spokesperson for the Road and Motorway Directorate (ŘSD), the opening has shifted tens of thousands of vehicles away from the city centre of České Budějovice, cutting congestion and noise for residents and providing a faster north‑south route across the Czech Republic. The project was funded 85 % by EU funds, amounting to roughly CZK 3.9 billion.

In parallel, the government approved combined work on the central‑Bohemian section of the D3 and a new high‑capacity water main. The joint approach will replace two separate pipelines with a single line, trimming investment costs by up to CZK 285 million and reducing land‑take. The water conduit, to be owned and operated by Voda Želivka, will supply drinking water to municipalities along the future D3 corridor. The 58‑km stretch of D3 in Central Bohemia is slated to start construction in 2028 and be completed by 2032.