Ružomberok lorry traffic falls 53% after bypass opens

Slovakia's transport ministry has released its first traffic figures after the D1 Hubová–Ivachnová section opened. Toll-system data show that in the first two weeks an average of 1,900 fewer lorries a day travelled through Ružomberok, a 53% reduction compared with the same period last year.

More than 30,200 heavy vehicles used the new road over those two weeks, averaging over 2,150 a day. On the route through the city that most closely parallels the new motorway, the ministry recorded the sharpest fall, about 82%. More than 190,000 passenger cars also used the bypass during its first 14 days.

The 15-kilometre section, which includes the 3.6-kilometre Čebrať tunnel and three junctions, opened on the evening of 5 October 2026. The ministry cautions that passenger-car patterns have not yet settled: some drivers still follow their old route, while early figures may also include motorists making a detour simply to try the new road.