During the next year, as many as 110 kilometers of highway will be built through the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina(FBiH). As recently confirmed by the Public Utility (JP)Autoceste FBiH, the construction of the entire northern part of corridor Vc, i.e. a total of 43 kilometers, is planned to begin by the end of this year.
Capital projects
In addition to the sections in the north, the realization of the contracting of two sections in the south is also planned.
According to the director of the FBiH Highway Public Company Elmedin Voloder, it is 14.5 kilometers from Mostar south to Buna.
”What is currently most important on the Vc road corridor is the fact that tenders have been announced for the two most complex projects – the Prenj tunnel and the Mostar bypass – and the start of construction is planned for next year,” told Voloder.
He emphasized that the construction of the so-called easy sections have been completed and now very demanding projects on difficult terrain follow, among which breaking the Prenj tunnel is certainly the most difficult challenge. Namely, the Prenj tunnel, after construction, will be the ninth longest tunnel in Europe, which shows the the kind of volume for this project. The Prenj Tunnel is also one of the most awaited projects among drivers, given that its commissioning will cut the journey between Sarajevo and Mostar in half. In other words, the distance between Sarajevo and Mostar will not be 113 km, as is the case when driving on the main road, but 82 km, reports Vecernji list.
The Prenj tunnel, which is part of the section of the highway on the corridor Vc Ovcari – Prenj tunnel – Mostar north, will reduce the distance between the two mentioned cities by 31 kilometers. The construction of this imposing building on the Vc corridor should begin in the middle of next year, and the entire work should be completed in five years and 10 months. The right tunnel tube of the Prenj tunnel will be 10,165 meters long, while the left one is five meters shorter.
The value of the works is estimated at 800 million BAM, and as many as 196 companies are interested in its construction. The construction of the Prenj tunnel will be financed with 110 million EUR by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the European Investment Bank with 150 million EUR. Part of the funds was provided by JP Autoceste FBiH from its own sources. Namely, the highway section from Ovcari to the Mostar south interchange is divided into subsections Ovcari – entrance to the Prenj tunnel, Prenj tunnel, Prenj tunnel – Mostar north and Mostar north – Mostar south. A total of 10 bridges, 12 tunnels and two interchanges will be built on these subdivisions.
Eight construction sites
Voloder pointed out that eight construction sites are currently active where 38 new kilometers of highway are being built.
”The total investment value of the ongoing works is 1.14 billion BAM. If we continue to work with the planned dynamics, in two years there will be a new 23 kilometers of highway in the north of our country,” said Voloder. The Minister of Transport and Communications of the FBiH, Denis Lasic, pointed out that the realistic deadline for the completion of the construction of the motorway on the Vc corridor is the end of 2028. He also recalled the fact that after its completion, 138 bridges/viaducts and 44 tunnels will be built on the part of the corridor that passes through FBiH, Biznis Info reports.
E.Dz.
