# Expressway S3 (Poland)

Expressway S3 or express road S3 (in Polish droga ekspresowa S3) is a Polish highway, which is planned to run from Świnoujście on the Baltic Sea through Szczecin, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Zielona Góra and Legnica, to the border with the Czech Republic, where it will connect to the planned D11 motorway. The total intended length is 470.6 km (292.4 mi), of which 436.0 km (270.9 mi) is open to traffic and 33.0 km (20.5 mi) is under construction as of January 2025.
The main section from Szczecin (interchange with A6) to the Czech border is completed. In was constructed from 2008 until 2024. The last 3 km near the border remain closed to traffic until around 2028 when the connecting stretch of the D11 motorway is to be constructed in Czech Republic.
The section from Świnoujście to Szczecin (A6) is partially completed and partially under construction, with planned completion in 2025.

## Route

| Section | Length | Constructed | Notes |
| Świnoujście – Troszyn | 33.0 km (20.51 mi) | Under construction – planned opening in 2025 | |
| Troszyn, Parłówko, Ostromice bypass | 4.2 km (2.61 mi) | 2009 – 2012 | |
| Ostromice – Miękowo | 22.1 km (13.73 mi) | 2017 – 2021 | |
| Miękowo bypass | 4.8 km (2.98 mi) | 2009 – 2012 | |
| Miękowo – Rzęśnica | 21.8 km (13.55 mi) | In the 1970s with at-grade intersections, Reconstructed 2019 – 2020 | |
| Rzęśnica – Szczecin Klucz | 18.3 km (11.37 mi) | In the 1930s by Nazi Germany, Reconstructed 2007 – 2021 | Concurrency with |
| Szczecin Klucz – Gorzów Wielkopolski | 81.6 km (50.70 mi) | 2007/2008 – 2010 | |
| Gorzów Wielkopolski bypass | 11.7 km (7.27 mi) | Single carriageway: 2001 – 2007 Second carriageway: 2014 – 2017 | |
| Gorzów Wielkopolski – Międzyrzecz | 37 km (22.99 mi) | 2011 – 2014 | |
| Międzyrzecz bypass | 6.4 km (3.98 mi) | Single carriageway: 2004 – 2006 Second carriageway: 2014 – 2016 | |
| Międzyrzecz – Sulechów | 43 km (26.72 mi) | 2010 – 2013 | |
| Sulechów – Nowa Sól | 44 km (27.34 mi) | Single carriageway: 1985 – 1995, 2006 – 2008 Second carriageway: 2015 – 2018 | |
| Nowa Sól – Polkowice | 33.3 km (20.69 mi) | 2014 – 2018 | |
| Polkowice – Lubin | 14.4 km (8.95 mi) | 2014 – 2021 |
| Lubin – Legnica – Bolków | 69.7 km (43.31 mi) | 2015 – 2018 | |
| Bolków – Kamienna Góra | 16.1 km (10.00 mi) | 2020 – 2024 | Includes two tunnels: 2300m and 320m long |
| Kamienna Góra – Lubawka | 15.3 km (9.51 mi) | 2020 – 2023 | The last 3 km are finished, but remain closed until the connecting D11 motorway is constructed in Czech Republic |

## History
### Initial route plans (autostrada A3)

The autostrada A3 was a motorway planned from 1993 to 2001 that was supposed to run from Szczecin to Lubawka on the Polish-Czech border. Some road maps published in the 1990s depicted an approximate route of the motorway, which in some places was different from the final route of S3, most notably the motorway was supposed to form north-eastern bypass of Legnica while S3 was constructed as its western bypass.
In 2001 the decision was made to build a lower standard "express road" as the traffic density was judged too low to justify a motorway. One legacy of the road having been planned as an autostrada is that from the beginning it was being constructed on a completely new alignment some distance away from the old route of the DK3 road. This is akin to how most expressways in Poland are constructed nowadays, but in contrast to the standards of the 2000s when most of the expressways were being constructed by upgrading existing roads. Like other modern Polish expressways, S3 shares the crucial properties of an autostrada, including physical separation, restricted access, all interchanges being grade-separated, and at least two continuous lanes in each direction as well as emergency lanes (hard shoulder).

### Świnoujście – Szczecin

One section of S3 east of Szczecin (19 km) was constructed in the 1970s in an expressway standard of those times, featuring one-level intersections and a pedestrian crossing. It was reconstructed in 2019–2020 to contemporary standards, with the intersections and the pedestrian crossing upgraded to grade-separated ones.
S3 south of Szczecin overlaps with A6 motorway (see Autostrada A6: History of construction).

### Szczecin – Legnica

A single carriageway was constructed in years 1985–1995 on the section Sulechów–Zielona Góra (27 km). Three short sections were constructed in years 2001–2008, also with the first carriageway only.
The first large section of S3 was the stretch from Szczecin to Gorzów Wielkopolski (82 km), opened to traffic in 2010, followed by the stretch from Gorzów Wielkopolski to Sulechów (80.6 km), opened to traffic in 2013/2014. The new sections had two carriageways, separated by the older stretches (Sulechów–Nowa Sól, Gorzów Wielkopolski bypass and Międzyrzecz bypass) which still remained as single-carriageway.
In 2014–2017/2018, the expressway between Nowa Sól and Legnica (junction with A4) was constructed, and the second carriageway was added on the three older stretches. The exception was the section Polkowice - Lubin, which was also contracted to be completed in the first half of 2018, but the deal with Salini Impregilo was terminated in 2019 due to extensive delays in construction. It was ultimately opened to traffic in 2021.

### Legnica – border with Czech Republic

Signing the contracts for construction of all four stretches between A4 at Legnica and the Czech border was planned for 2014. However, in 2013 the officials announced that the section will not enter into construction yet, because delays in preparations in the Czech Republic meant that the connecting motorway on the Czech side of the border might enter into construction no earlier than 2018 (ultimately, the delays on the Czech side turned out to be even larger and the construction of the connecting stretch is expected to start in 2024 rather than in 2018). Some of the money allocated for it has been re-purposed to build the S2 expressway in Warsaw.
Later the decision was partially reversed, and in 2014 two tenders were opened for the section between Legnica and Bolków. This part (35.8 km) was constructed in years 2015–2018. The two remaining design-build contracts for the section from Bolków to the Czech border were signed in October 2018. The section from Kamienna Góra to the border was opened in September 2023, while the section from Bolków to Kamienna Góra was opened in July 2024.

## Exit List

| Country | Voivodeship | Location | Exit | Name | Destinations | Notes |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Świnoujście | — | Roundabout near Warszów | DK 3 / E65 – Ystad via Ferry DK 93 – Świnoujście via the Świnoujście Tunnel | proposed northern endpoint of expressway Kilometrage starting point |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Świnoujście | 1 | Świnoujście | Warszów | exit under construction as part of Świnoujście - Dargobądz section Incomplete junction: no exit ramp Szczecin → Świnoujście; no entry ramp Świnoujście → Szczecin |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Świnoujście | 2 | LNG | Świnoujście LNG terminal | exit under construction as part of Świnoujście - Dargobądz section |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Świnoujście | 3 | Łunowo | Łunowo Świnoujście LNG terminal (planned) | exit under construction as part of Świnoujście - Dargobądz section |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Międzyzdroje | 4 | Międzyzdroje | DW 102 – Międzyzdroje | exit under construction as part of Świnoujście - Dargobądz section |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Wolin | 5 | Dargobądz | Dargobądz | exit under construction as part of Dargobądz - Troszyn section |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Wolin | 6 | Wolin Zachód | Wolin | exit under construction as part of Dargobądz - Troszyn section Zachód means west |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Wolin | 7 | Wolin Wschód | DW 111 – Goleniów | exit under construction as part of Dargobądz - Troszyn section Wschód means east |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Wolin | — | transition from national road | DK 3 / E65 | Northern endpoint of expressway section |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Wolin | 8 | Parłówko | DW 107 – Kamień Pomorski DW 108 – Golczewo/Płoty Ostromice | |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Przybiernów | 9 | Brzozowo | Brzozowo | |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Przybiernów | 10 | Przybiernów | Przybiernów | |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Przybiernów | 11 | Babigoszcz | Babigoszcz | |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Goleniów | 12 | Miękowo | Miękowo/Stepnica | |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Goleniów | 13 | Goleniów Północ interchange | S 6 / E28 – Gdańsk/Solidarity Szczecin–Goleniów Airport | Northern End of concurrency with Expressway S6 (temporary) modified trumpet interchange planned extension of Expressway S6 will end here Północ means north |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Goleniów | 14 | Goleniów Zachód | DW 111 – Recław Goleniów/Święta | Zachód means west |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Goleniów | 15 | Goleniów Południe | Rurka/Goleniów/Lubczyna | Południe means south |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Goleniów | 16 | Kliniska | Stawno/Kliniska Wielkie | |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Goleniów | 17 | Rzęśnica | DW 142 – Chociwel | |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Goleniów | — | — | A 6 / E28 S 3 / E65 | Southern End of concurrency with Expressway S6 (temporary) Road continues as common section of A6 autostrada and expressway S3 with kilometrage of A6 |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Szczecin | 6 | Szczecin Dąbie | Szczecin-Dąbie/Szczecin-Wielgowo | Exit number part of A6 autostrada |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Szczecin | 5 | Szczecin Kijewo interchange | DK 10 — Szczecin-Centrum/Lubieszyn/Bydgoszcz | Exit number part of A6 autostrada cloverleaf interchange planned Expressway S10 will start here Centrum means center |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Szczecin | 4 | Szczecin Podjuchy | Szczecin-Podjuchy | Exit number part of A6 autostrada |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Szczecin | 18 | Szczecin Klucz interchange | A 6 / E28 — Szczecin-Gumieńce/Kołbaskowo/Berlin | Southern End of concurrency with A6 autostrada Semi-directional T interchange |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Gryfino | 19 | Gryfino | DW 120 — Gryfino/Stare Czarnowo | |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Banie | 20 | Pyrzyce | DW 122 — Pyrzyce/Krajnik Dolny | |
| Poland | West Pomeranian Voivodeship | Gmina Myślibórz | 21 | Myślibórz | DK 26 — Myślibórz/Krajnik Dolny | |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gorzów Wielkopolski | 22 | Gorzów Wielkopolski Północ | DW 130 — Dębno/Gorzów Wielkopolski-K-S SSE/Gorzów Wielkopolski-Centrum | Północ means north Centrum means center |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gorzów Wielkopolski | 23 | Gorzów Wielkopolski Zachód | DW 132 — Kostryn nad Odrą/Gorzów Wielkopolski-Centrum | Zachód means west Centrum means center |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gorzów Wielkopolski | 24 | Gorzów Wielkopolski Południe | DK 22 — Gorzów Wielkopolski-Centrum/Wałcz/Gdańsk/Kostryn nad Odrą | Południe means south Centrum means center |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Skwierzyna | 25 | Skwierzyna Zachód | Skwierzyna/Deszczno DK 24 — Kostryn nad Odrą | Northern End of concurrency with national road 24 Zachód means west |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Skwierzyna | 26 | Skwierzyna Południe | Skwierzyna DK 24 — Poznań | Southern End of concurrency with national road 24 Południe means south |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Międzyrzecz | 27 | Międzyrzecz Północ | Międzyrzecz | Północ means north |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Międzyrzecz | 28 | Międzyrzecz Zachód | DW 137 — Międzyrzecz/Sulęcin/Trzciel | Zachód means west |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Międzyrzecz | 29 | Międzyrzecz Południe | Międzyrzecz | Południe means south |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Świebodzin | 30 | Jordanowo interchange | A 2 / E30 — Świecko/Poznań | interchange equipped with toll station double trumpet interchange |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Świebodzin | 31 | Świebodzin Północ | Świebodzin/Świecko/Poznań with access to DK 92 | Północ means north |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Świebodzin | 32 | Świebodzin Południe | Świebodzin/Krosno Odrzańskie (southbound) DK 92 — Świebodzin/Świecko/Poznań (northbound) | Południe means south |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Sulechów | 33 | Sulechów | DK 32 — Poznań Sulechów/Cigacice | Northern End of concurrency with national road 32 |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Zielona Góra | 34 | Zielona Góra Północ | DK 32 — Zielona Góra-Strefa Aktywności Gospodarczej, Centrum, Osiedle Pomorskie/Gubinek/Krosno Odrzańskie | Southern End of concurrency with national road 32 Północ means north Centrum means center |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Zielona Góra | 35 | Zielona Góra Południe | DW 282 — Zielona Góra-Racula/Zielona Góra-Stary Kisielin | Południe means south |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Otyń | 36 | Niedoradz | Niedoradz/Otyń | Incomplete junction: no exit ramp Legnica → Niedoradz; no entry ramp Niedoradz → Legnica |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Nowa Sól | 37 | Nowa Sól Zachód | DW 297 — Nowa Sól/Kożuchów K-SSSE Nowa Sól DW 315 — Wolsztyn | Zachód means west |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Nowe Miasteczko | 38 | Nowa Sól Południe | DW 333 — Nowe Miasteczko/Nowa Sól Bytom Odrzański/Kożuchów | Południe means south |
| Poland | Lubusz Voivodeship | Gmina Nowe Miasteczko | 39 | Nowe Miasteczko | DW 333 — Nowe Miasteczko/Miłaków | |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Gaworzyce | 40 | Gaworzyce | Gaworzyce/Kurów Wielki | |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Radwanice | 41 | Głogów Zachód | DK 12 — Głogów/Leszno/Żary | Zachód means west |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Jerzmanowa | 42 | Głogów Południe | DW 329 — Głogów | Południe means south |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Polkowice | 43 | Polkowice Północ | Polkowice/Chocianów | Północ means north |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Polkowice | 44 | Polkowice Południe | DW 331 — Polkowice/Chocianów | Incomplete junction: no exit ramp Zielona Góra → Polkowice; no entry ramp Polkowice → Zielona Góra Northern endpoint of the stretch with three lanes per carriageway Południe means south |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Lubin | 45 | Lubin Północ | Lubin-Stadion/Rawicz/Góra with access to DK 36 | Southern endpoint of the stretch with three lanes per carriageway Północ means north |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Lubin | 46 | Lubin Zachód | DW 335 — Chojnów Lubin-Centrum | Zachód means west Centrum means center |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Lubin | 47 | Lubin Południe | DW 333 — Chróstnik/Lubin-Przylesie | Południe means south |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Miłkowice | 48 | Legnica Północ | DW 333 — Legnica/Kochlice | Północ means north |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Miłkowice | 49 | Legnica Zachód | DK 94 — Legnica/Zgorzelec | Zachód means west |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Krotoszyce | 50 | Legnica Południe interchange | A 4 / E40 — Wrocław/Jędrzychowice/Zgorzelec | double trumpet interchange Południe means south |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Jawor | 51 | Jawor Północ | Jawor/Nowa Wieś Legnicka | Północ means north |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Paszowice | 52 | Jawor Wschód | Jawor/Strzegom/Świdnica | Wschód means east |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Paszowice | 53 | Jawor Południe | Paszowice/Sokola | Południe means south |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Bolków | 54 | Bolków | DK 3 / E65 — Jelenia Góra/Prague DK 5 — Wrocław/Lubawka planned Expressway S5 will end here in a new interchange | |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Kamienna Góra | 55 | Kamienna Góra Północ | DK 5 — Bolków/Kamienna Góra/Lubawka Północ means north | |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Kamienna Góra | 56 | Kamienna Góra Południe | DW 367 — Kamienna Góra/Wałbrzych/Jelenia Góra Południe means south | |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Lubawka | 57 | Lubawka | DW 369 — Lubawka/Jelenia Góra | |
| Poland | Lower Silesian Voivodeship | Gmina Lubawka | — | Poland-Czechia border | D 11 | border crossing planned Border with Czechia Southern endpoint of expressway |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access Proposed Tolled Route transition |||||||||