Croatia has invested a staggering 1.2 billion euros (£1 billion) into a huge motorway project, which will involve over 29 miles of motorway and over nine miles of connecting roads.
To complete the network, one crucial segment is set to be built that will connect the iconic city of Dubrovnik in the south with Metković and the rest of the country.
The eyewatering investment addresses challenging terrain and promises improved safety and regional connectivity.
It is considered to be the most expensive motorway in the country due to the complexity of the terrain, which requires extensive viaducts and tunnels.
“This is practically the worst possible terrain for highway construction,” Associate Professor Marko Ševrović from the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences told the The Dubrovnik Times.
“The route runs through a very narrow area, bordered by the sea on one side and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the other. The project involves numerous viaducts, bridges, and tunnels. Additionally, the area is densely populated, making junction placement and road functionality critical.”
It will be built in two phases, with construction on the sections from Rudine to Slano and from Slano to Mravinjac expected to start this year and finish by 2029, according to HRT.
Phase one covers the Osojnik-Dubrovnik section, while phase two will see the construction of the Metković-Pelješac Bridge section.
Careful planning has also been required due to the densely populated areas in the region and its proximity to the Bosnia and Herzegovina border.
The motorway will replace the dangerous D8 road, which is notorious for frequent accidents due to having 32 black spots and tight bends.
“Safety is perhaps the most critical aspect of this highway,” Ševrović added. “The current D8 state road is highly dangerous, with frequent accidents. If for no other reason, this highway is necessary to enhance safety. But of course, it will also integrate Dubrovnik into Croatia’s highway network.”
Despite the costs it is expected to incur, officials have highlighted the strategic, economic and security benefits of the project, including benefits to tourism.
Dubrovnik is considered to be cut off from the rest of Croatia because of a narrow strip of land along the coast which belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina, called the Neum corridor.
This means that anyone travelling by land from other Croatian cities such as Split must cross an international border into Bosnia and then back again to reach the city.
The Pelješac Bridge was built to connect Croatia’s mainland to the Pelješac peninsula, which is connected to Dubrovnik. A journey between Split and Croatia currently takes just under three hours on its fastest route.