As the construction of the Rail Baltica section between Šveicarija and Žeimiai, Lithuania, nears completion and the number of construction facilities decreases, the migration of animals through a unique underground culvert has already been observed. Environmentalists consider this culvert to be one of the most modern in Lithuania.
The culvert is located next to the viaduct over the existing broad-gauge railway and road No. 144 Jonava-Kėdainiai-Šeduva. LTG Infra, the infrastructure company of the LTG Group, regularly visits construction sites to monitor the movement of fauna within their infrastructure.
“The use of the dedicated infrastructure for animals improves safety not only for them but also for all transport users, which is particularly relevant on a stretch that operates both a standard railway and a regional route. It is not only the speed of construction that is important, but also the environmental and long-term safety,” says Vytis Žalimas, CEO of LTG Infra.
An animal passage was initially planned to the north, near cultivated fields; however, biodiversity surveys found it unnecessary as animals do not migrate through these areas, but rather along rivers.
“At the location where a pipe culvert was planned for the Lankesa River, the adjacent high viaduct allowed for the design of an underground passage for large animals without altering the natural riverbed. There are three animal culverts along the 10 km stretch: two designed for small and medium-sized animals, and this large culvert, notable as it is one of the first of its kind to be implemented not only in the Rail Baltica project but also in Lithuania as a whole,” says Dovilė Juškevičienė, Environmental and Performance Assessment Expert at the joint venture of the three Baltic companies, RB Rail AS.
According to the requirements for a culvert of this width, a dry passage must be maintained on at least one or both sides of the river, ensuring it remains unflooded during the spring flood. Now, with less machinery on the site, tracks of hares, foxes, or larger mammals, such as groups of roe deer, are being found.
“The Neris Bridge construction site is a fenced-off area, but even there we find signs of visiting moose. In areas where the territory is not fenced, contractor employees often arrive in the morning to find that naturally curious animals have already checked whether the soil is firmly compacted, and at the same time, they are getting comfortable with the future infrastructure,” says Juškevičienė.
The use of all Rail Baltica culverts, underpasses, and green bridges will be monitored for at least three years during the operation of the high-speed railway. This monitoring will assess whether the infrastructure meets the needs of the fauna and may include the planting of additional diverting vegetation. In Estonia, animal attractants such as salt are used to attract them away from roads and railroads.
Otter monitoring was conducted for the second time this year at the construction site of the Neris Bridge, which is part of the European Union’s Natura 2000 network of Special Protected Areas. The results indicated that construction does not negatively impact the otter’s intensive habitat.
Last year, the three Baltic countries completed the Rail Baltica Sustainability Study, which focuses on ensuring that the high-speed railway is sustainable during both its construction and operation. Next, environmentalists plan to develop plans for climate change management and a biodiversity corridor in the Baltics.
