Road to Lithuania becomes 11 million euro slow sailing experience — oak trees defeated construction workers

While Riga is figuring out how to build roads where you can drive over 30 km/h, Latvian State Roads has decided that an 18-kilometer stretch from Priekule to the Lithuanian border is exactly what needs 11.4 million euros. Because how else will we prove to Lithuanians that we know how to spend money beautifully?

The best part is that work will start at the Lithuanian border with traffic light-controlled reverse traffic. This means travelers heading to Lithuania will get to enjoy a true University of Liepāja student experience — waiting for someone to decide whether you can proceed or not. At least at university there's a cafeteria to wait in, but here there will only be a traffic light and thoughts about the meaning of life.

The project's greatest victory is that due to residents' pressure, they managed to save two oak trees. As local resident Gunārs said: "The oaks are the only ones here who understand what's happening — they just stand there and watch people spend 11 million euros to build the same thing that was already there, just slower."

Work will last until 2027, which means this road will become Kurzeme's slowest driving record holder. 50 km/h in the work zone and 70 km/h elsewhere — that's faster than Riga city center, but slower than grandma's wheelchair on the beach. For this money, SIA "CTB" could build half a new city, but they chose to make a road where you'll drive as fast as in Liepāja in winter against the wind.