The construction and maintenance of road infrastructure have a significant impact on freight transport as well as the daily lives of residents. This is one of the most financially demanding areas, which the national external audit authority has been monitoring for a long time. At the end of 2024, Slovakia’s road network comprised 545.7 km of motorways and 320.2 km of expressways, of which 57.3 km were only half-profiled. There were 29 districts without a motorway or expressway, most of them in eastern Slovakia. First-class roads totalled 3,335.9 km, playing a key role in both regional and national transport. The international TEN-T corridors cover 1,535.5 km, a third of which currently run on motorways. Their completion and subsequent operation, however, require substantial investment.

During the audited period 2021–2024, an additional 35 km of motorways were opened, mainly sections of the D1 near Prešov and Žilina. The length of expressways increased by 23 km, such as sections of the R2 near Mýtna and the R4 in Prešov. However, the pace of construction is insufficient. At the current average of under 15 km per year, only 375 km would be added by 2050. To meet all commitments, 26 km of new road sections would need to be completed each year until 2050. The funding required to meet international obligations has long exceeded Slovakia’s capabilities, even with EU funds. “The sections that have been built bring shorter travel times, greater safety, and smoother traffic flow, but these benefits are lost on incomplete parts of the network. Based on the experience of Považská Bystrica and Prešov, we can expect the time savings to decrease or disappear when passing through unfinished sections – for example, the bypass of Zvolen connecting the R1 and R2 or the D1 Turany–Hubová section,” explains Ľubomír Andrassy, President of the SAO. The Ministry of Transport should therefore, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, create a tool enabling longer-term and more realistic planning and financing of major investments within the state budget. According to the SAO President, one possible solution would be to create a multi-source earmarked transport fund. The need for investment is further heightened by the long-term underfunding of maintenance and insufficient repairs, especially on first-class roads.

Over the four audited years, more than 500 km of first-class roads were repaired, but the length of roads in very good condition increased by only 230 km. This is because other sections were downgraded to worse categories, meaning their overall condition did not significantly improve. Roads in unsatisfactory condition were reduced by 144 km, yet the length of roads in critical condition remained almost unchanged. Special financing, previously initiated by Minister Andrej Doležal through a memorandum on large-scale repairs and maintenance of first-class roads between the transport and finance ministries, was beneficial. For a lasting effect, however, systemic, multi-year funding of repairs and maintenance is needed. Estimates show that around 222 km of roads should be renewed annually – three-quarters more than during the memorandum – requiring over €76 million a year, €33 million more than the current average. Such funding would only cover basic renewal within operational lifespan. Improving road conditions would require even more funding.

The review of projects under construction revealed that construction timelines are often significantly extended due to unfavourable geological conditions, poor project management, incorrect routing, or rising material costs. For example, the D1 Hubová–Ivachnová section’s construction period increased from 3.5 years to over 12 years, with costs rising from nearly €290 million to over €630 million (excluding VAT). The project had to be split into two stages and is now financed solely from the state budget. The cost per kilometre rose from €19.38 million to €42.5 million. Similarly, on the I/9 Chocholná–Mníchova Lehota section, costs rose from €16.5 million to €39.8 million, and completion was delayed by almost three years due to the unforeseen demolition of two bridges instead of their reconstruction. Where EU funds were not fully utilised, the Ministry of Transport managed to reallocate resources to other road or rail projects. The first stage of the R4 – Northern Bypass of Prešov was completed with a six-month delay and is already delivering the planned economic and social benefits.

A comparison with other countries showed that motorway construction speeds vary across Europe, with Poland currently progressing the fastest, having built much of its network after joining the EU. The Czech Republic is focusing on expanding its first-class road network, aiming to connect all regional capitals by 2050 and building bypasses for towns and villages. A key source of funding is its State Transport Infrastructure Fund, partly financed by revenue from hydrocarbon fuel excise duties, motorway tolls, and road tax. The SAO has long recommended that the government establish an earmarked fund for modernising transport infrastructure, following the Czech model.

Bridges form an important part of road infrastructure, but their inadequate renewal is increasing the investment backlog. For first-class roads, 18 bridges need to be reconstructed annually for cyclical renewal. In reality, the figure is much higher, given their advanced average age and long-term underfunded maintenance. Insufficient cyclical renewal and modernisation also deepen the investment gap. The growing number of bridges in the worst condition increases the risk of closures and the introduction of lengthy detours. Currently, roughly half of Slovakia’s bridges are in poor condition. In 2020, one in three bridges on first-class roads required modernisation or complete reconstruction; by 2024, this figure had risen to nearly one in two, according to the follow-up audit. “The changes introduced after the 2021 bridge condition audit have partially improved the bridge management system, but without a systematic increase in the number of reconstructed bridges, their condition will not improve. It is not enough to better diagnose a bridge’s technical condition – a positive change must come from sustainable financing of complex transport projects by the state and regional authorities. Auditors also identified significant shortcomings in defining design and construction capacities,” says Ľubomír Andrassy, President of the SAO, adding that the state auditors will this year also examine second- and third-class roads, including bridges owned by regional self-governing authorities.