Liberecký kraj orders revision of I/35 road study

The Liberecký Region has decided to commission an expert revision of the original study for the planned I/35 road through Český ráj. The project, managed by the Road and Motorway Directorate of the Czech Republic (ŘSD), has been a subject of debate for twenty-five years.

Regional Deputy Governor Daniel David stated that the revision aims to determine if errors in the initial study significantly influenced the selection of the northern route. Opponents of the project, including the SOS Český ráj association, argue that the northern variant was chosen based on flawed data and lacks proper testing for efficiency and economy. The association has filed a criminal complaint regarding the suspected mismanagement of property.

The proposed northern route is approximately 35 kilometers long with an estimated cost of roughly 30 billion CZK. The project previously lost its environmental impact assessment (EIA) after the Ministry of the Environment revoked its approval. Opponents are advocating for a southern route, which they claim is more environmentally friendly and cost-effective, though the ŘSD has noted that such a change is currently not possible under existing territorial plans.