The realization of the Autostrada A1 in Poland: A discussion of spatial implications

The Autostrada A1 is a highway currently under construction in Poland. The Autostrada A1 will connect two major Polish ports on the Baltic Sea with industrial areas in the south of the country. Together with the construction of other major highways such as the A2, A3, and A4, it will form a network the significance of which for Poland is paralleled by the Interstate Highway system in the United States and the Autobahn network in Germany. I would suggest that almost every effect that the Autostrada A1 or its realization has had or will have on its environment carries spatial implications. Economic and demographic patterns will likely be significantly affected by the presence of a new north-south highway in Poland. The Autostrada A1 itself, the process to build it, and the transformed government and legal regimes to administer it are all Polish spaces which are merging with the greater space of the European Union while still having ties to the East. Implicit in this process is the further enablement of Poland and other Central European countries which will benefit from the Autostrada A1 to realize their full economic, political and social potential within the contemporary order in Europe and the world.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Russian, E Eur, Eurasian St

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2010

Author dc:creator

• Lechtenberg, Devon M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Cidell, Julie

• Poland
• Transportation Infrastructure
• Autostrada A1
• Highways in Poland
• EU Structural Funds
• Transportation Geography
• Trans-European Network (TEN).

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2010 Devon M. Lechtenberg

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/16802

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/16802