The "Rail track reconstruction in the Rail Baltica corridor in Latvia" project is part of the TEN-T priority project No. 27 "Rail Baltica", which foresees establishing a rail link Warsaw - Kaunas - Riga - Tallinn - Helsinki, thus ensuring safe and modern railway infrastructure between the Baltic States and the rest of Europe.
The project aim is the reconstruction and improvement of the existing rail tracks in the "Rail Baltica" route sections from Sigulda to the Latvia-Estonia border in Valka and from Jelgava to the Latvia-Lithuania border with a freight train speed of 80 km/h and passenger train speed of 120 km/h.
Under the project, it is planned to reconstruct 152 km of rail tracks by replacing the work track superstructure materials: rails, ballast and concrete sleepers with fittings. The railway zone will also be improved, the subgrade restored and the defective level crossing surfaces restored. The key rail track materials: rails, railway ballast and reinforced concrete sleepers are delivered under separate supply contracts.
The project implementation will improve:
- Traffic safety;
- Passenger and freight train traffic flow;
- Increased train speed;
- Railroad carrying capacity;
- Decreased risk of environmental pollution;
- Decreased level of noise and vibration.
In 2012, LDZ Infrastruktūra Ltd. has already restored 37.74 km of rail tracks in the following sections:
- Jelgava - Meitene (16.00 km);
- Sigulda - Līgatne (10.46 km);
- Līgatne - Ieriķi (9.43 km);
- Bāle - Valmiera (1.85 km).
