Although work on the excavation of the Hranjen Tunnel, a key part of the future Goražde–Sarajevo expressway, is ongoing, the project will not be completed under the currently valid contract. Additional funding will be required, as well as a new contract covering the remaining works, the Public Enterprise Highways of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Autoceste FBiH) has confirmed.
Construction of the Hranjen Tunnel began in September 2019, with an initial completion deadline of three years. However, seven years later, the tunnel remains unfinished.
Autoceste FBiH says the current contract provides funding for the completion of the tunnel excavation, but does not cover all works necessary for the tunnel to become fully operational. The remaining works include the construction of the secondary lining, waterproofing, road structure and installation of tunnel equipment.
One of the main reasons for the delays and increased costs is the discovery of significantly less favorable geological conditions than those anticipated in the original project documentation. This required additional protection and stabilization measures during construction.
The initially secured funds were not sufficient to complete the entire first phase of the project. As a result, the Government of the Federation of BiH and Autoceste FBiH have repeatedly launched procurement procedures and concluded additional contracts, in line with available financial resources.
For Goražde, the completion of the project is considered crucial, given the region’s difficult road connections with the rest of the country.
Goražde Mayor Ernest Imamović stressed that the project cannot be treated as a series of short-term construction activities, emphasizing its importance for the future of the entire area.
“It’s not a project that you work on for three months, then stop for three. It’s simply, constantly 24 hours to be a part of that project, which is our life. It’s not just some tunnel. That tunnel means that this area will finally have one chance to live a normal way of life, even in difficult winter conditions.”
He added that the tunnel and the wider road project could provide the entire Bosnian-Podrinje Canton with an opportunity for stronger economic and social development.
The Hranjen Tunnel is planned to be approximately 5.4 kilometers long, which would make it the longest road tunnel in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the longest in the region.
Once the tunnel and the wider expressway connection are completed, the journey between Sarajevo and Goražde is expected to be reduced to approximately 45 minutes, significantly improving the accessibility of Goražde and the wider Bosnian-Podrinje region.
