First sections of Bratislava bypass to open in March

Nearly 30 kilometers of the new R7 expressway near Bratislava is within weeks of opening. The Slovak Minister of Transportation Árpád Érsek said he didn't intend to cut any ribbons before the upcoming elections, but that the high capacity roads would improve the quality of life and ease the daily trip made by commuters. The section to be opened runs from Rovinka to Ketelec (part of the larger D4 motorway connecting the D2 at Jarovec to the D1) and then from Ketelec to Holice (part of the R7 that will lead traffic southeast out of Bratislava beginning at Prievoz). The Slovak government has called for an investigation into a problematic portion of the D4 following concerns that environmentally unsafe materials were used in its construction. This has halted progress on the road.