R4 expressway (Slovakia)
Expressway in Slovakia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
R4 expressway (Slovak: Rýchlostná cesta R4) is an expressway in the north–south direction in eastern Slovakia. Initially planned to be completed in 2023,[1] the completed 130 kilometres (81 mi) long expressway will connect the state border of Poland to the border with Hungary, passing Svidník, Prešov and Košice.
Under Construction: 10.2 km (6.3 mi)
Planned: 65.3 km (40.6 mi) />The lengths are stated without concurrences
 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rýchlostná cesta R4 | ||||
 Completed Under construction Planned | ||||
| Route information | ||||
Part of  E50  E58  E71  E371 | ||||
| Length | 88.4 km (54.9 mi) Completed: 23.1 km (14.4 mi) Under Construction: 10.2 km (6.3 mi) Planned: 65.3 km (40.6 mi) />The lengths are stated without concurrences | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| From |  S19 border with Poland (planned) | |||
| To | _Otszogletu_kek_tabla.svg){kind=small} M30 border with Hungary | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | Slovakia | |||
| Regions | Prešov Region, Košice Region | |||
| Major cities | Prešov, Košice | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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On the Polish side, the R4 will be connected to the S19 expressway; on the Hungarian side, to the M30 motorway. The section between Prešov and Košické Oľšany is shared with D1, and sections between Košické Oľšany and Haniska with R2. The road is part of the proposed Via Carpatia route.[2]
Chronology
This corridor was initially included in the expressway network and thus also in the construction plans as early as 1963, by the resolution of the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic No. 286/1963. At that time, it was included as a combination of the motorway No. 73 in the section from Vyšný Komárnik to Prešov, and the motorway No. 68 in the section from Košice to the border with Hungary.
After 1999, as part of the overall reorganisation of the expressway network and their renumbering, the corridor started to be referred to as the R4 expressway. Construction of the first section of the road did not begin until 2007, more than forty years after the first planning of a capacity road in this corridor. The Svidník bypass (Ladomirová – Svidník-juh) at a length of 4.6 kilometres (2.9 mi), in a half profile was put into operation at the end of 2010.[3]
In 2013, the 14.2 kilometres (8.8 mi) long section between south of Košice and the border with Hungary at Milhosť was put into operation,[4] with Skanska as the sole contractor, constructing the section since 2010.[5] The section received EUR 45 million in subsidies from the European Union.[6]
In July 2019, Vahostav-SK was tendered to begin construction on Stage I of the Prešov northern bypass. The 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) long section was opened in October 2023.[7]
The construction began on a 14.3 kilometres (8.9 mi) section between Košické Oľšany and Haniska in March 2022, aimed to provide a shared section with the R2. The section was put into operation in September 2025[8].
Future developments
Stage II of the Prešov bypass is currently under construction. The first preparatory work is being carried out. Once complete, the R4 will expand by a 10.2 kilometres (6.3 mi) long section around Prešov. The section will include twelve bridge structures of various lengths and the approximately 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) long Okruhliak tunnel.[9]
Route description
| Country | Region | Location | km | mi | Exit | Name | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slovakia | Presov region, Kosice region | Slovakia | 0 | 0.0 | Vyšný Komárnik-Barwinek border crossing |  S 19 | Kilometrage starting point
Road continues as the Polish S19 Not included in the plan before 2028 | |
| Rest area | Vyšný Komárnik | Not included in the plan before 2028 | ||||||
| 1 | 0.62 | Vyšný Komárnik |  I/21 | Not included in the plan before 2028 | ||||
| 8 | 5.0 | Hunkovce | I/21 | Not included in the plan before 2028 | ||||
| 16 | 9.9 | Svidník-sever | I/21 | In operation in a half profile | ||||
| 21 | 13 | Svidník-juh | I/21 | In operation in a half profile | ||||
| 25 | 16 | Stročín | I/21 | Not included in the plan before 2028 | ||||
| 30 | 19 | Radoma | I/21 | Not included in the plan before 2028 | ||||
| 34 | 21 | Giraltovce | I/21 | Not included in the plan before 2028 | ||||
| 40 | 25 | Kukova | I/21 | Not included in the plan before 2028 | ||||
| 65 | 40 | Lipníky |  I/18 | Not included in the plan before 2028 | ||||
| 70 | 43 | Kapušany | I/18 | In construction | ||||
| 81 | 50 | Prešov-sever |  I/68 | |||||
| 86 | 53 | Prešov-západ |  D1 E50 | Concurrency with D1 | ||||
| 92 | 57 | Prešov-juh | I/68 | Concurrency with D1 | ||||
| 103 | 64 | Lemešany | Concurrency with D1 | |||||
| Rest area | Janovík | Concurrency with D1 | ||||||
| 112 | 70 | Budimír, Košice-sever |  I/20 | Concurrency with D1 | ||||
| 118 | 73 | Košice-východ (Košické Oľšany) | D1 E50  R2 E71 | Concurrency with D1 | ||||
| 119 | 74 | Košice-východ (Hrašovík) |  I/19 | Concurrency with R2 | ||||
| 127 | 79 | Košice-Krásna |  II/552 | Opened 09/2025 | ||||
| 132 | 82 | Košice-juh |  I/17 | |||||
| 133 | 83 | Košice-juh | R2 E58 | Intersection is planned, it will be built by 2030 | ||||
| 143 | 89 | Kechnec | ||||||
| 145 | 90 | Milhosť-Tornyosnémeti border crossing |  M30  E71 | Kilometrage end point
Road continues as Hungarian M30 | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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