As construction nears completion on the Rail Baltica section between Šveicarija and Žeimiai in Lithuania, one of the country’s most modern underground animal culverts is already in use. Situated near the viaduct spanning the existing broad-gauge railway and Road No. 144 Jonava–Kėdainiai–Šeduva, the culvert has seen its first migrating wildlife, marking a significant milestone in environmentally conscious infrastructure development.
LTG Infra, the infrastructure arm of the LTG Group, continues to monitor fauna activity across its construction sites to ensure the safe integration of wildlife pathways within the railway environment.
“The use of dedicated infrastructure for animals improves safety not only for them but also for all transport users,” said Vytis Žalimas, CEO of LTG Infra. “This is particularly important along a stretch that combines both a standard railway and a regional road. The focus is not only on construction speed but also on environmental and long-term safety.”
An animal passage was originally proposed further north near agricultural land, but biodiversity studies determined that the area did not support significant wildlife movement. Instead, animals were found to migrate along rivers.
“At the site where a pipe culvert was planned for the Lankesa River, the adjacent high viaduct allowed us to create an underground crossing for large animals without altering the natural riverbed,” explained Dovilė Juškevičienė, Environmental and Performance Assessment Expert at RB Rail AS, the joint venture coordinating Rail Baltica. “There are three culverts along this 10 km section—two for small to medium-sized animals, and this large culvert, which stands out as one of the first of its kind not only for Rail Baltica, but in Lithuania as a whole.”
According to design requirements, culverts of this width must provide a dry passage on one or both sides of the river to remain usable during spring flooding. With construction activity decreasing in the area, evidence of animal movement—including tracks from hares, foxes, and roe deer—has been found near the culvert.
“Even in fenced-off areas such as the Neris Bridge site, we see signs of visiting moose,” said Juškevičienė. “In locations without fencing, contractor teams often arrive to find that naturally curious animals have already investigated the freshly compacted soil—becoming familiar with the new infrastructure.”
All Rail Baltica wildlife crossings—including culverts, underpasses, and green bridges—will be monitored for at least three years following the launch of high-speed rail operations. This monitoring will assess how well the infrastructure supports local fauna, and additional measures such as planting guiding vegetation may be introduced. In Estonia, for example, attractants like salt are used to draw animals away from roads and tracks.
Otter monitoring has also been carried out at the Neris Bridge site—part of the European Union’s Natura 2000 network of protected areas. Results indicate that construction activities have not had a negative impact on otter populations in the area.
Last year, the three Baltic countries completed the Rail Baltica Sustainability Study, which outlines best practices for sustainable construction and operation. Looking ahead, environmental experts are developing plans to address climate change impacts and to establish a Baltic-wide biodiversity corridor.
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