Poland launches tender to widen 2.3-kilometer section of DK44 in Oświęcim

Tender for road design

The Kraków branch of the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) launched a public tender for the design of the expansion of national road 44 in the Lesser Poland region. The planned infrastructure project targets a 2.3-kilometer section running along Zatorska and Chemików streets through both the town of Oświęcim and the neighboring village of Zaborze. At present, the route operates as a single carriageway with one traffic lane in each direction between the junction with the new Oświęcim bypass and the Andrzej Telka roundabout. The state road authority is seeking engineering design firms to prepare technical documentation for widening the corridor to two lanes in each direction. GDDKiA communication specialist Kacper Michna explained the objective of the study.

We want to examine how this 2.3-kilometer section can be expanded to two lanes in each direction.

Interested engineering companies have until November 5, 2026, to submit their formal offers for the design contract.

Scope and alignment options

The planned reconstruction will encompass the entire 2.3-kilometer stretch of road alongside six intersections located along the route, two of which are roundabouts. At the Andrzej Telka roundabout, national road 44 currently meets traffic from Fabryczna street and provincial road 933 along Chemików street. The commissioned designers will also evaluate the technical feasibility of shifting national road 44 onto an entirely new alignment between Porębska street and Fabryczna street. GDDKiA noted that such an alignment shift cannot take place on the segment between the bypass and Porębska street due to spatial constraints, as residential buildings line the western edge of the road while fish ponds border the eastern edge. The winning design firm must analyze all potential variants, select the optimal technical solution, and obtain the necessary environmental decision. In addition to the expanded carriageways, the project will incorporate pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, including dedicated foot and bicycle paths.

Traffic volumes and congestion

The modernization effort responds to high traffic volumes and frequent bottlenecks on this regional link. According to data from the 2025 General Traffic Measurement, more than 12,000 vehicles pass along this section of national road 44 each day. Freight transport accounts for 18% of that overall volume, which translates to more than 2,100 heavy trucks traversing the corridor daily. Queues frequently develop on the approach to the Andrzej Telka roundabout during peak morning and afternoon hours. Local drivers expect traffic volumes, especially heavy truck traffic, to rise further as additional sections of the regional road network open. Driver Michał Zając described the current traffic situation near the intersection.

Already right now traffic jams form on the approach to the Telka roundabout. After opening the entire bypass, traffic, including trucks, will be even greater.

National road 44 serves as a regional east-west transit route across southern Poland, running from Gliwice through Tychy and Oświęcim to Kraków.

Schedule and municipal funding

The preparatory phase is being executed through a partnership between the national road authority and the local municipality of Oświęcim. Under the terms of the agreement, the municipal government will finance 50% of the costs associated with producing the technical documentation and securing the required permits. GDDKiA estimates that the comprehensive design work and permitting pipeline will take six years to complete. This extensive multi-year timetable includes securing an official environmental decision as well as obtaining the statutory road investment realization permit, known under Polish law as ZRID. Construction on the dual carriageway could take place between 2032 and 2034.