Expressway S3 | ||||
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Droga ekspresowa S3 | ||||
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Route information | ||||
Part of![]() | ||||
Length | 436.0 km (270.9 mi) 470.6 km (292 mi) planned[1] | |||
Major junctions | ||||
From | Świnoujście | |||
Major intersections | ![]()
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To | ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | Poland | |||
Regions | West Pomeranian Voivodeship Lubusz Voivodeship Lower Silesian Voivodeship | |||
Major cities | Szczecin,Gorzów Wielkopolski, Zielona Góra,Legnica | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Expressway S3 orexpress road S3 (inPolishdroga ekspresowa S3) is aPolish highway, which is planned to run fromŚwinoujście on theBaltic Sea throughSzczecin,Gorzów Wielkopolski,Zielona Góra andLegnica, to the border with theCzech Republic, where it will connect to the plannedD11 motorway. The total intended length is 470.6 km (292.4 mi), of which 436.0 km (270.9 mi) is open to traffic and 33.0 km (20.5 mi) is under construction as of January 2025.
The main section fromSzczecin (interchange withA6) to theCzech border is completed. In was constructed from 2008 until 2024. The last 3 km near the border remain closed to traffic until around 2028 when the connecting stretch of theD11 motorway is to be constructed inCzech Republic.
The section fromŚwinoujście toSzczecin (A6) is partially completed and partially under construction, with planned completion in 2025.[2]
Section | Length | Constructed | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Świnoujście –Troszyn | 33.0 km (20.51 mi) | Under construction – planned opening in 2025 | |
Troszyn, Parłówko, Ostromice bypass | 4.2 km (2.61 mi) | 2009 – 2012 | |
Ostromice –Miękowo | 22.1 km (13.73 mi) | 2017 – 2021 | |
Miękowo bypass | 4.8 km (2.98 mi) | 2009 – 2012 | |
Miękowo – Rzęśnica | 21.8 km (13.55 mi) | In the 1970s with at-grade intersections, Reconstructed 2019 – 2020 | |
Rzęśnica –Szczecin Klucz | 18.3 km (11.37 mi) | In the 1930s byNazi Germany, Reconstructed 2007 – 2021 | Concurrency with![]() |
Szczecin Klucz –Gorzów Wielkopolski | 81.6 km (50.70 mi) | 2007/2008 – 2010 | |
Gorzów Wielkopolski bypass | 11.7 km (7.27 mi) | Single carriageway: 2001 – 2007 Second carriageway: 2014 – 2017 | |
Gorzów Wielkopolski –Międzyrzecz | 37 km (22.99 mi) | 2011 – 2014 | |
Międzyrzecz bypass | 6.4 km (3.98 mi) | Single carriageway: 2004 – 2006 Second carriageway: 2014 – 2016 | |
Międzyrzecz –Sulechów | 43 km (26.72 mi) | 2010 – 2013 | |
Sulechów –Nowa Sól | 44 km (27.34 mi) | Single carriageway: 1985 – 1995, 2006 – 2008 Second carriageway: 2015 – 2018 | |
Nowa Sól –Polkowice | 33.3 km (20.69 mi) | 2014 – 2018 | |
Polkowice –Lubin | 14.4 km (8.95 mi) | 2014 – 2021 | |
Lubin –Legnica –Bolków | 69.7 km (43.31 mi) | 2015 – 2018 | |
Bolków –Kamienna Góra | 16.1 km (10.00 mi) | 2020 – 2024 | Includes two tunnels: 2300m and 320m long |
Kamienna Góra –Lubawka | 15.3 km (9.51 mi) | 2020 – 2023 | The last 3 km are finished, but remain closed until the connectingD11 motorway is constructed inCzech Republic |
Theautostrada A3 was a motorway planned from 1993[3][4] to 2001[5] that was supposed to run fromSzczecin toLubawka on the Polish-Czech border. Some road maps published in the 1990s depicted an approximate route of the motorway, which in some places was different from the final route of S3, most notably the motorway was supposed to form north-eastern bypass of Legnica[6] while S3 was constructed as its western bypass.
In 2001 the decision was made to build a lower standard "express road" as the traffic density was judged too low to justify a motorway.[7] One legacy of the road having been planned as an autostrada is that from the beginning it was being constructed on a completely new alignment some distance away from the old route of the DK3 road. This is akin to how most expressways in Poland are constructed nowadays, but in contrast to the standards of the 2000s when most of the expressways were being constructed by upgrading existing roads. Like other modern Polish expressways, S3 shares the crucial properties of an autostrada, including physical separation, restricted access, all interchanges being grade-separated, and at least two continuous lanes in each direction as well as emergency lanes (hard shoulder).
One section of S3 east of Szczecin (19 km) was constructed in the 1970s in an expressway standard of those times, featuring one-level intersections and a pedestrian crossing. It was reconstructed in 2019–2020 to contemporary standards, with the intersections and the pedestrian crossing upgraded to grade-separated ones.
S3 south of Szczecin overlaps with A6 motorway (seeAutostrada A6: History of construction).
A single carriageway was constructed in years 1985–1995 on the sectionSulechów–Zielona Góra (27 km). Three short sections were constructed in years 2001–2008, also with the first carriageway only.
The first large section of S3 was the stretch from Szczecin to Gorzów Wielkopolski (82 km), opened to traffic in 2010,[8] followed by the stretch from Gorzów Wielkopolski to Sulechów (80.6 km), opened to traffic in 2013/2014. The new sections had two carriageways, separated by the older stretches (Sulechów–Nowa Sól, Gorzów Wielkopolski bypass andMiędzyrzecz bypass) which still remained as single-carriageway.
In 2014–2017/2018, the expressway between Nowa Sól and Legnica (junction with A4) was constructed, and the second carriageway was added on the three older stretches.[9] The exception was the sectionPolkowice -Lubin, which was also contracted to be completed in the first half of 2018, but the deal withSalini Impregilo was terminated in 2019 due to extensive delays in construction. It was ultimately opened to traffic in 2021.
Signing the contracts for construction of all four stretches between A4 at Legnica and theCzech border was planned for 2014. However, in 2013 the officials announced that the section will not enter into construction yet, because delays in preparations in the Czech Republic meant that the connecting motorway on the Czech side of the border might enter into construction no earlier than 2018[10][11] (ultimately, the delays on the Czech side turned out to be even larger and the construction of the connecting stretch is expected to start in 2024 rather than in 2018[12]). Some of the money allocated for it has been re-purposed to build theS2 expressway in Warsaw.
Later the decision was partially reversed, and in 2014 two tenders were opened for the section between Legnica and Bolków. This part (35.8 km) was constructed in years 2015–2018.[13] The two remainingdesign-build contracts for the section from Bolków to the Czech border were signed in October 2018. The section from Kamienna Góra to the border was opened in September 2023, while the section from Bolków to Kamienna Góra was opened in July 2024.
Country | Voivodeship | Location | km | mi | Exit | Name | Destinations | Notes |
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Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Świnoujście | — | Roundabout nearWarszów | ![]() ![]() ![]() | proposed northern endpoint of expressway Kilometrage starting point | ||
1 | Świnoujście | Warszów | exit under construction as part of Świnoujście - Dargobądz section Incomplete junction: no exit ramp Szczecin → Świnoujście; no entry ramp Świnoujście → Szczecin | |||||
2 | LNG | Świnoujście LNG terminal | exit under construction as part of Świnoujście - Dargobądz section | |||||
3 | Łunowo | Łunowo Świnoujście LNG terminal (planned) | exit under construction as part of Świnoujście - Dargobądz section | |||||
Gmina Międzyzdroje | 4 | Międzyzdroje | ![]() | exit under construction as part of Świnoujście - Dargobądz section | ||||
Gmina Wolin | 5 | Dargobądz | Dargobądz | exit under construction as part of Dargobądz - Troszyn section | ||||
6 | Wolin Zachód | Wolin | exit under construction as part of Dargobądz - Troszyn section Zachód means west | |||||
7 | Wolin Wschód | ![]() | exit under construction as part of Dargobądz - Troszyn section Wschód means east | |||||
— | transition from national road | ![]() ![]() | Northern endpoint of expressway section | |||||
8 | Parłówko | ![]() ![]() Ostromice | ||||||
Gmina Przybiernów | 9 | Brzozowo | Brzozowo | |||||
10 | Przybiernów | Przybiernów | ||||||
11 | Babigoszcz | Babigoszcz | ||||||
Gmina Goleniów | 12 | Miękowo | Miękowo/Stepnica | |||||
13 | Goleniów Północ interchange | ![]() ![]() | Northern End of concurrency with Expressway S6 (temporary) planned extension of Expressway S6 will end here Północ means north | |||||
14 | Goleniów Zachód | ![]() Goleniów/Święta | Zachód means west | |||||
15 | Goleniów Południe | Rurka/Goleniów/Lubczyna | Południe means south | |||||
16 | Kliniska | Stawno/Kliniska Wielkie | ||||||
17 | Rzęśnica | ![]() | ||||||
— | — | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Southern End of concurrency with Expressway S6 (temporary) Road continues ascommon section of A6 autostrada and expressway S3 with kilometrage of A6 | |||||
Szczecin | 6 | Szczecin Dąbie | Szczecin-Dąbie/Szczecin-Wielgowo | Exit number part of A6 autostrada | ||||
5 | Szczecin Kijewo interchange | ![]() | Exit number part of A6 autostrada planned Expressway S10 will start here Centrum means center | |||||
4 | Szczecin Podjuchy | Szczecin-Podjuchy | Exit number part of A6 autostrada | |||||
18 | Szczecin Klucz interchange | ![]() ![]() | Southern End of concurrency with A6 autostrada Semi-directional T interchange | |||||
Gmina Gryfino | 19 | Gryfino | ![]() | |||||
Gmina Banie | 20 | Pyrzyce | ![]() | |||||
Gmina Myślibórz | 21 | Myślibórz | ![]() | |||||
Lubusz Voivodeship | Gorzów Wielkopolski | 22 | Gorzów Wielkopolski Północ | ![]() | Północ means north Centrum means center | |||
23 | Gorzów Wielkopolski Zachód | ![]() | Zachód means west Centrum means center | |||||
24 | Gorzów Wielkopolski Południe | ![]() | Południe means south Centrum means center | |||||
Gmina Skwierzyna | 25 | Skwierzyna Zachód | Skwierzyna/Deszczno![]() | Northern End of concurrency with national road 24 Zachód means west | ||||
26 | Skwierzyna Południe | Skwierzyna![]() | Southern End of concurrency with national road 24 Południe means south | |||||
Gmina Międzyrzecz | 27 | Międzyrzecz Północ | Międzyrzecz | Północ means north | ||||
28 | Międzyrzecz Zachód | ![]() | Zachód means west | |||||
29 | Międzyrzecz Południe | Międzyrzecz | Południe means south | |||||
Gmina Świebodzin | 30 | Jordanowo interchange | ![]() ![]() | interchange equipped with toll station double trumpet interchange | ||||
31 | Świebodzin Północ | Świebodzin/Świecko/Poznań with access to![]() | Północ means north | |||||
32 | Świebodzin Południe | Świebodzin/Krosno Odrzańskie (southbound)![]() | Południe means south | |||||
Gmina Sulechów | 33 | Sulechów | ![]() Sulechów/Cigacice | Northern End of concurrency with national road 32 | ||||
Zielona Góra | 34 | Zielona Góra Północ | ![]() | Southern End of concurrency with national road 32 Północ means north Centrum means center | ||||
35 | Zielona Góra Południe | ![]() | Południe means south | |||||
Gmina Otyń | 36 | Niedoradz | Niedoradz/Otyń | Incomplete junction: no exit ramp Legnica → Niedoradz; no entry ramp Niedoradz → Legnica | ||||
Gmina Nowa Sól | 37 | Nowa Sól Zachód | ![]() K-SSSE Nowa Sól ![]() | Zachód means west | ||||
Gmina Nowe Miasteczko | 38 | Nowa Sól Południe | ![]() Bytom Odrzański/Kożuchów | Południe means south | ||||
39 | Nowe Miasteczko | ![]() | ||||||
Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Gaworzyce | 40 | Gaworzyce | Gaworzyce/Kurów Wielki | ||||
Gmina Radwanice | 41 | Głogów Zachód | ![]() | Zachód means west | ||||
Gmina Jerzmanowa | 42 | Głogów Południe | ![]() | Południe means south | ||||
Gmina Polkowice | 43 | Polkowice Północ | Polkowice/Chocianów | Północ means north | ||||
44 | Polkowice Południe | ![]() | Incomplete junction: no exit ramp Zielona Góra → Polkowice; no entry ramp Polkowice → Zielona Góra Northern endpoint of the stretch with three lanes per carriageway Południe means south | |||||
Gmina Lubin | 45 | Lubin Północ | Lubin-Stadion/Rawicz/Góra with access to![]() | Southern endpoint of the stretch with three lanes per carriageway Północ means north | ||||
46 | Lubin Zachód | ![]() Lubin-Centrum | Zachód means west Centrum means center | |||||
47 | Lubin Południe | ![]() | Południe means south | |||||
Gmina Miłkowice | 48 | Legnica Północ | ![]() | Północ means north | ||||
49 | Legnica Zachód | ![]() | Zachód means west | |||||
Gmina Krotoszyce | 50 | Legnica Południe interchange | ![]() ![]() | double trumpet interchange Południe means south | ||||
Jawor | 51 | Jawor Północ | Jawor/Nowa Wieś Legnicka | Północ means north | ||||
Gmina Paszowice | 52 | Jawor Wschód | Jawor/Strzegom/Świdnica | Wschód means east | ||||
53 | Jawor Południe | Paszowice/Sokola | Południe means south | |||||
Gmina Bolków | 54 | Bolków | ![]() ![]() ![]() planned Expressway S5 will end here in a new interchange | |||||
Gmina Kamienna Góra | 55 | Kamienna Góra Północ | ![]() Północ means north | |||||
Kamienna Góra | 56 | Kamienna Góra Południe | ![]() Południe means south | |||||
Gmina Lubawka | 57 | Lubawka | ![]() | |||||
— | Poland-Czechia border | ![]() | border crossing planned Border with Czechia Southern endpoint of expressway | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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