The transport fund invested a record 88 billion crowns last year

Prague - The expenditures of the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure (SFDI) reached a record 88 billion crowns last year, 18 billion more than in 2007. This was announced today by the Ministry of Transport in a press release. The most money flowed to the Moravian-Silesian Region, Prague, and the South Moravian Region.
    Approximately 50 billion crowns were allocated for the construction and maintenance of roads of all categories. Expressways and first-class roads required 28 billion, while highways accounted for 18 billion. Railways consumed 33 billion and recorded the largest year-on-year increase. In 2007, it was ten billion less. The fund also spent money on safety measures, bike paths, and project work.
    Among the most expensive constructions last year were the D47 highway, where 8.6 billion crowns were spent, the ring road around Prague (4.3 billion), and the R6 expressway (3.3 billion). In terms of railways, the most expensive newly constructed corridors are from Prague through Plzeň to Germany and through České Budějovice to Austria. They accounted for a total of nine billion crowns.
    A significant source of funds for Czech transport projects is the European funds, primarily the Operational Programme Transport (OPD). Within this framework, it is possible to draw approximately 150 billion crowns until 2015.
    By the end of the year, applicants, including the Administration of Roads and Motorways, the Railway Infrastructure Administration, and the Directorate of Waterways, submitted a total of 81 applications with a financial claim of 90 billion crowns. Projects are gradually approved by the Ministry of Transport or the European Commission, and 40 have been approved so far. In total, last year, 20 billion crowns were paid out from union funds through the transport fund.
    The budget for this year accounts for revenues and expenditures of the fund amounting to 83 billion crowns.