The longest EU-funded underwater tunnel in Europe is officially opened in Poland. The tunnel will connect the islands of Usedom and Wolin, and the city centre of Świnoujście with the rest of the country. It will allow seamless transportation for locals and visitors and serve as a catalyst for the region's economic development.
The project, approved in June 2018, received €162.3 million of Cohesion Policy funding (from the 2014-2020 programming period), out of a total investment of €191.5 million.
Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms said: „The tunnel in Świnoujście is a perfect example of Cohesion Policy making real changes to the people’s lives. The people of Świnoujście and of Poland have been waiting for this tunnel for 70 years. The EU support has finally arrived. The tunnel is a great model of successful EU collaboration with localities, as the co-financing for the project has been provided by the city budget itself. Poland, like other central and eastern European countries, still needs investments in road infrastructure and Cohesion Policy is there to support tchem”.
For Świnoujście's inhabitants, especially those working in the capital of the West Pomerania region, Szczecin, daily commuting by ferry was quite long and challenging. The tunnel changes this dramatically as the crossing will now only take 2-3 minutes. The city is also one of Poland's top tourist destinations, attracting approximately 2.5 million visitors per year, who will now also benefit greatly from the new tunnel.
The tunnel is 1,440 meters long and will link the two parts of the city of Świnoujście, located on Uznam and Wolin islands. It will also facilitate transport between Poland and Germany, create new prospects for investments and job creation in the region.
Furthermore, the road infrastructure will be improved with new access roads to the tunnel and intersections. These include a roundabout on the island of Wolin and a T-intersection on the island of Uznam. Existing adjacent streets will also be reconstructed.
By improving connectivity, the tunnel will strengthen the links between Świnoujście and neighbouring cities, thereby fostering regional cooperation and exchange.
During the programming period 2014-2020, Poland benefited from over €78.8 billion in EU Cohesion Policy support, of which €28.2 billion were dedicated to the operational programme “Infrastructure and the Environment". Funded by the Cohesion Fund (€22,4 billion) and the European Regional Development Fund (€5,7 billion), this programme financed the final and major stages of the tunnel works.
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