Road and Motorway Directorate of the Czech Republic - Development of Further 16 Kilometres of R7 Expressway Commenced

The R7 Vysočany – Droužkovice section and the R7 Droužkovice – Nové Spořice section constitute parts of a development project aimed at increasing the capacity of the existing two-lane I/7 Road into a four-lane R7 Expressway. The reconstruction of the R7 arterial road leading from Prague to Chomutov and to the German border (the frontier crossing at Hora Svatého Šebestiána – Reitzenhain) will facilitate a quick and especially a high-capacity connection between the Czech interior and the Chemnitz region in Free Land Saxony.

The four-lane R7 Expressway has already been completed between Prague and the Town of Slaný. All along the section between the limits of the Central Bohemia and the Ústecký Regions, as far as the Town of Postoloprty, medium-profile bypasses of the communities of Panenský Týnec, Chlumčany, Louny, and Postoloprty were developed along the I/7 Road. Traffic intensity has been constantly increasing along the I/7 Road. Yet another important reason for the reconstruction of the I/7 Road is represented by the need for ensuring transport services regarding the industrial zones near the towns of Most, Louny, and Postoloprty, and – in particular – the strategic industrial zone of Žatec Triangle, developed on the premises of a former military airfield. The development projects in question have been designed in accordance with certain approved modifications and amendments of the Territorial Plan of the North Bohemia Coal Basin, and the draft Principles of Territorial Development of the major territorial unit of the Ústecký Region.

Description of the Vysočany – Droužkovice Project

The eastern portion of the project is connected to a grade-separated crossroad (CSC), part of the R7 Vysočany Section, which was completed in 2009. In the West, it is linked to the currently designed R7 Droužkovice – Nové Spořice project. The road has been designed with a total length of 9.444 kilometres. The first four-kilometre section of the new R7 Expressway follows the right side of the existing I/7 Road in the direction of Prague – Chomutov. This other road will serve as a local road after the completion of the R7 Expressway. Commencing on Kilometre Four, the planned R7 Expressway diverts from the existing I/7 Road to the left and it follows a completely new route. Roughly on Kilometre Nine, a grade-separated crossroad spans the existing II/568 Road, which will be relayed to a new route near the grade-separated crossroad at the village of Droužkovice.

The development project further incorporates the relaying of a section of the II/568 Road between the CSC at Droužkovice until its link to the existing I/7 Road, at a length of 2.145 kilometres. The construction includes two grade-separated crossroads developed on the R7 Expressway, namely, a CSC at Lažany and a CSC at Droužkovice. The overall project further covers three short shifts of the existing I/7 Road, relaying of several third-class roads, a back road, relaying and modification of technical infrastructure networks, bridges and walls, irrigation systems, the Expressway Emergency System (SOS), planting, re-cultivation, and noise barriers.

The first section of the R7 Expressway goes along the existing I/7 Road upon arable land, and it is diverted from the I/7 Road in the north-western direction in the distance of approximately one kilometre from the Community of Lažany, passing the southern edge of the Community of Všehrdy, as far as the southern limits of the Community of Droužkovice where it will be connected to the subsequent section, via the designed CSC at Droužkovice. In that section, too, the R7 Expressway is built upon arable land.

Description of the Droužkovice – Nové Spořice Project

The development project links to the currently planned section of the R7 Expressway between Vysočany and Droužkovice on the East; its western connection is linked to a previously shifted Road No. I/7 along the route of Chomutov – Křimov – Hora Svatého Šebestiána; it will thus create a south-western bypass of the Town of Chomutov. After the commissioning of the project, in particular, cargo traffic passing through the Community of Spořice will be substantially eased. The total length of that section of the R7 Expressway extends to 6,391 metres.

In that section, the new R7 Expressway has been designed to follow in parallel to the relayed railway tracks from Březno near Chomutov to Chomutov; furthermore, it continues along the existing track between passing point Spořice as far as a diversion to Dubina. Roughly at Kilometre Fifteen, the R7 Expressway will pass over, by way of a flyover bridge, the railway tracks Chomutov – Karlovy Vary. At the end of this section, the R7 Expressway connects to a relayed I/7 Road in the direction of the Community of Křimov, by way of a CSC of Roads Nos. R7, I/7, and I/13, at the Village of Nové Spořice.

EU Co-financing

The project has been proposed for co-financing by the European Union, from the structural funds, namely, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Operational Programme on Transport. An irretrievable subsidy from the European Union has been sought under Priority 4, Intervention Area: “Modernisation of First Class Roads outside TEN-T”, and it may reach as much as 85 percent of the qualified expenditures.

View an information leaflet including a map of the project site here.

Information about the Development Projects

R7 CSC Vysočany – CSC Droužkovice
Venue: Ústecký Region
Price: CZK 2,378,002,441
Length: 9,444 metres
Commencement Date: 04/2010
Commissioning Date: 03/2013


R7 CSC Droužkovice – CSC Nové Spořice
Venue: Ústecký Region
Price: CZK 2,053,863,670
Length: 6,391 metres
Commencement Date: 04/2010
Commissioning Date: 03/2013