Citizens take the opportunity to consult on Rail Baltica construction works in Iecava

The Rail Baltica information day, held on 27 August at the Iecava House of Culture, provided more than 30 individual consultations to citizens on various aspects of the project – from the progress of the main construction works and property disposals to environmental issues and supply chain opportunities for local businesses.

The event was organised for the residents of Bauska and Iecava, as well as for other interested parties, by ERB Rail, the builder of the main line of Rail Baltica, together with Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas, the national implementer of the project in Latvia.

Citizens came prepared with specific questions. Conversations with project representatives often lasted more than ten minutes and many visitors took the opportunity to ask their questions at several thematic tables, gaining more information on different topics. The topic of construction progress was the most interesting this time, as well as questions about the Rail Baltica project in general.

Māris Dzelme, Chairman of the Board of European Railway Lines and Gatis Gaņģītis, Senior Technical Expert of the Technical Department, answered the questions of the citizens about the implementation of the project in Latvia. The visitors were interested in the latest news on the scope and timing of the first phase, the contractors involved in the works, as well as the sources of financing for the project. Specific questions were also asked about the territory of the municipality, such as why trees were being cut down in certain areas, to which it was explained that this was necessary both for the construction of the track and for the planned traffic junctions.

Citizens were also interested in the roads that will be used for the delivery of construction materials for the construction of the southern route. The project promoter explained that together with the construction contractor and the Latvian State Roads specialists, the road load is being assessed and delivery routes are being planned to minimise the impact on the daily life of the inhabitants of the district and to avoid densely populated areas.

Aivars Rēders, ERB Rail’s construction manager, provided explanations on the progress of the construction works. He received many questions on practical aspects, including on specific construction works taking place at the future Rail Baltica infrastructure maintenance centre near Iecava, on the freight traffic and intensity in Iecava and on the surrounding roads, on the crossing points of national roads with the railway and whether bridges over the railway will be built and whether these roads will be closed during construction works.

Attendees wanted to know whether the delivery of materials would be by road only or by rail, and whether existing roads would be rehabilitated after heavy use.

Answering the questions of the residents, Mr Rēders explained that there were no plans to close any roads or road sections, while temporary changes in the traffic organisation would be determined and agreed in accordance with the procedures established by the State.

The ERB Rail construction manager stressed that, as far as possible, it is planned to use the railway for material deliveries. Both the builder and European Rail Lines have approached Latvian Railways with this issue, hoping to reach a solution that would help to increase the material delivery capacity and ease the road congestion for material deliveries for the construction of the Rail Baltica main line.

Freight traffic is currently limited to 10 vehicles per day, and an increase in traffic volumes can be expected by the end of March next year. During the works, the condition of the roads is regularly monitored and if any damages occur, they will be repaired by the contractor as part of the construction project. ERB Rail is fully aware of its responsibility to ensure that the public can continue to use the roads safely and to their full potential during the construction works.

Meanwhile, Gita Apine-Niedra, Valuation Specialist at the Real Estate Disposal and Management Department, advised on property disposal and valuation issues for the project, exploring the location of the track in Bauska District and the potential impact on properties together with interested parties on maps.

Attendees had come to the meeting well prepared – having studied the publicly available information on the project, which allowed them to ask specific questions and receive detailed answers.

Those who had to wait during the consultation had the opportunity to read the information materials, watch videos and photos on the construction progress of the Iecava Infrastructure Maintenance Centre.

“This is not a one-off event – we are deliberately creating a regular dialogue with the public so that every citizen affected by the construction works or the future track can directly ask their question and receive an answer from the project team,” said ERB Rail’s Miks Lūsis.

Intensive excavation works and construction of internal infrastructure are currently underway at the Rail Baltica construction site in Iecava, laying the foundation for the future construction of the railway track. Search for unexploded ordnance has started on the main track, with ground scans being carried out.

The Rail Baltica project promoters stress that similar meetings with the public will continue to be held at important stages of the project in order to keep the local community informed of progress, to gauge sentiment and answer questions, and to build confidence in the project through dialogue with the local community.

28 August 2025