GDDKiA to use controversial concession system to build A1 motorway

The General Directorate of Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) is planning to return to constructing highways using the concession system, which prevously aroused bad feelings and turned out not be the best solution. "We want to announce a tender to construct the A-1 motorway from near Łódź to Pyrzowice near Częstochowa. The bidder would have to construct the whole 180-kilometer stretch," said Zbigniew Kotlarek from GDDKiA. He added that the tender would be announced in 2005 with construction scheduled to begin in 2006. The GDDKiA evaluates the value of the contract at roughly EUR 630-810 million, which according to some market representatives is not taking into account risk factors. They believe the value should stand at EUR 1.25-1.44 billion. The estimated national cost of investments in motor and express roads amounts to zł.64.5 billion. (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1, 3) M.M.