Page:NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 18; CZECHOSLOVAKIA; TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110013-9.pdf/14

 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110013-9

'''FIGURE 3. Bituminous surfaced highway. This is the most common type of pavement on primary highways. (U/OU)'''

modern prestressed concrete-girder, concrete deck-arch (Figure 4), and steel-beam structures. Low-capacity bridges (less than 10 short tons) still exist on some roads, but most modern bridges are the prestressed concrete-deck type and have load capacities of 40 to 66 short tons. Minimum vertical clearance has been set at 17 feet for through-truss bridges and underpasses.

The highway network is virtually free of tunnels, except for a few near Teplice in the mountainous area of the northwest and one under construction near Zilina in northern Slovakia. There are no ferries or fords on national routes.

The Ministry of Transportation is responsible for implementing the government's highway construction policies and for providing guidance in any construction, modernization, repair, and maintenance work done on the road network. Work is performed by local road construction enterprises. Progress is hampered, though, by a shortage of qualified highway engineers and a general lack of funds. Other problems arise from the rugged terrain in much of the country and the usual seasonal restrictions on road building. Construction in the mountains requires heavy grading and the building of numerous culverts and bridges. Domestic production of bitumen, gravel, Portland cement, and steel is adequate.

A highway modernization program underway aims to eliminate serious bottlenecks, improve existing roads, and construct an expressway system of cross-country routes. A major objective is to provide 80% of the national road network with a bituminous or concrete surface by 1975. Other goals include widening all primary routes to 24 to 30 feet,

'''FIGURE 4. Concrete bridge over Vltava river. A principal structure on the highway system. (U/OU)'''

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110013-9