Rail Baltica has provided a number of updates on the project’s current progression, with work on the rail embankment near Iecava, southern Latvia, steadily underway.
Activity has also increased at the nearby 16-hectare Iecava Infrastructure Maintenance Facility (IMF), which is set to handle both the logistics and operations during the construction of the southern mainline between Misa and the Lithuanian border.
Work is now currently underway to build the section’s embankment, construct access roads and carry out earthworks, such as topsoil removal, excavation and layering of the railbed itself, with preparations also taking place for the mainline contractor, JV ERB Rail, and its 16 temporary modular office units.
Atis Švinka, Latvia’s Minister of Transport, said:The momentum is clearly building. It is important for us to demonstrate to both the public and the European Commission that we have moved from words to action.
Recent works have included the clearing of unexploded ordinance, the removal of tree stumps and preparation of the project substructure. The next phase will see the installation of culverts, upgrading of drainage systems and demolishing of existing buildings.
Elsewhere, Estonian contracts for the mainline have been finalised, with two international consortia set to construct key sections of the railway as part of the country’s largest infrastructure agreements to date.
An additional contract has also been signed for the Ülemiste passenger terminal in Tallinn which will serve as the northern end of the line, with design responsibilities set to be handled by Zaha Hadid Architects.
The Lithuanian end of the project is currently on track to meet its 2025 target, with railway construction set to double in the coming months. Work is steadily unferway on the Kaunas – Latvia section, with planning for the link to Poland actively ready to begin development.
