Page:NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 18; CZECHOSLOVAKIA; TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110013-9.pdf/15

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FIGURE 5. Section of expressway (now completed) south of Prague. A system of divided highways such as this has been scheduled for completion by 1990. (U/OU)

constructing urban bypasses, realigning roads that now have severe grades and curves, and upgrading highway construction standards. The most ambitious project is the expressway system; designed to conform to international standards, it is to be comprised of 4- to 6-lane divided highways (Figure 5). The initial section, under construction, is to extend southeast from Prague to Bratislava via Jihlava and Brno. The portion should be completed by 1975. Other expressway routes connecting Prague with the East Germany, West Germany, Poland, and U.S.S.R. borders are scheduled to be finished by 1990.

Despite Czechoslovakia's concerted effort to upgrade the road network, highway operations are still impaired by physical bottlenecks as well as climatic conditions. Travel is hampered quite often by grade crossings; sharp turns and narrow streets slow traffic in many urban areas; and narrow, low-capacity bridges still remain on some roads. Travel through mountainous areas is further aggravated by frequent steep grades and sharp curves. Snow and ice are common winter hazards throughout most of the country between December and March; even on the national routes, particularly along the border areas in Slovakia, winter extremes can snarl traffic for several days. Snow removal is adequate only along major routes; normally little more than cindering is cone on most roads. Considerable temporary damage to road surfaces is caused by spring thaws. Subsequent repairs are often rudimentary, and the prolonged effect of this neglect is reflected by the deteriorated condition of many older roads that have not yet undergone major reconstruction.

The Czechoslovak State Auto Transport (CSAD) carried about a third of the total highway tonnage; factory-owned transport is responsible for the remainder. All transport, however, is controlled by the Ministry of Transportation. In recent years the CSAD has encountered some difficulty in meeting its requirements because of the marginal quality of some roads and a chronic shortage of vehicle spare parts. Bus transportation is well developed and serves 90% of the towns and villages through 10 CSAD enterprises. In 1971 the nationalized public-service buses transported 1.7 billion passengers. In 1972 trucks hauled some 901.4 million short tons of freight and produced 8.1 billion short-ton-miles. The average length of haul was just over 11 miles. Among the principal goods shipped by truck are construction materials, machinery, foodstuffs, and light material products. Highway traffic volume has been increasing continually, and its composition is fairly evenly distributed among trucks and buses, private cars, and motorcycles. The primary road system bears the burden of most of this traffic.

The Czechoslovak automotive industry is well developed and capable of fulfilling the country's motor-transport equipment needs. A wide variety of vehicles are produced, and many are exported throughout West and East Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the U.S.S.R. Some foreign passenger cars and light trucks are imported, mainly from other East European countries, Western Europe, and the U.S.S.R. Vehicle production is expected to become more centralized throughout the CEMA as a result of recent discussions. Greater emphasis will be placed on Czechoslovakia's production of heavy trucks as a result of this new program. Extensive plant expansion has already been authorized for the Tatra truck works in Koprivnice. Other major production centers are the Skoda factories in Mlada Boleslav and the Avie plant in Prague. As of January 1972, vehicle registrations totaled 1,165,465 units; 938,203 automobiles, 207,131 trucks and 20,131 buses.

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