National Highway Company (NDS) of Slovakia has awarded a €114.6m contract to Doprastav-Strabag consortium to build an 11.2km section of the D1 highway between the country’s Fricovce and Svinia in Prešov region.

The cost of the project is expected to be €153m less compared to how much it would cost if been carried out through a public-private partnership basis.

Once complete, the D1 between the Branisko tunnel and Prešov will relieve traffic between Hendrichovce, Bertótovce and Chminianska Nová Ves, according to TASR.

The project is expected to start within the next three weeks and be open to traffic by November 2014.