The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) will, this fall, get new kilometers of highway on the route Zenica – Zepce. These are sections that include the longest tunnel in the country, and that will significantly shorten the road from Sarajevo toward the north of BiH.
The FBiH should, in October this year, get new kilometers of highway on two sections simultaneously between Zenica and Zepce. These two sections include the Bosna tunnel, 3.6 kilometers long, so altogether it will drastically reduce travel time on the busiest route in BiH.
Namely, we recently published that in October, the section Poprikuse – Nemila, on which the mentioned tunnel is located, should be opened to traffic. But, in addition to that, the plan is that at the same time, a larger part of the neighboring section, Nemila – Vranduk, will be opened to traffic.
Altogether, this will make up a significant piece of highway that will greatly reduce travel from Sarajevo toward the Sava.
Section Poprikuse – Nemila
Construction of the section Poprikuse – Nemila, 5.5 kilometers long, between Zenica and Zepce, is nearing its very end. The opening of this section could follow already in the fall of this year.
“We expect that we will complete all construction works by the end of August or the beginning of September. After that follows the preparation of documentation for technical acceptance and obtaining all approvals and permits. We hope that we will complete this entire process in October this year,” said Jasmina Mihajlovic, project manager on the construction of this section.
It should be emphasized that part of this section is the Bosna tunnel (formerly the Golubinja tunnel), 3.6 kilometers long, and currently the longest road tunnel in BiH. This tunnel will significantly shorten the road from Sarajevo toward the north of the country, because it makes it possible to avoid going around hills and instead drive through the canyon of the Bosna River.
“All main works in the tunnel have been completed. Now the final activities in the tunnel are underway, which include electro-mechanical works, that is, installation of equipment,” said Mihajlovic.
Otherwise, almost 4.6 kilometers are made up of structures, that is, bridges, viaducts, and tunnels. In itself, this shows how complex and difficult for construction the section is.
The works include the Golubinja 1 bridge, the Golubinja 1 viaduct, then the Golubinja interchange and rest area, the Zeljeznica bridge… Then the Bosna bridge, the Kovanici bridge, the Kovanici overpass, etc. The bridges are also in the final stage of realization.
Section Nemila – Vranduk
When it comes to the section Nemila – Vranduk, it is 6.2 kilometers long. Currently, the construction of a larger part of the section is underway, that is, two-thirds. This is the part called “section 1,” which is in focus because of the planned completion and opening to traffic.
A characteristic of this section is that first the section of the main road M17 had to be relocated and built in order to create conditions for the construction of the highway that overlaps with the route of the old main road. Work also had to be done on regulating the riverbed of the Bosna River through Nemila in a length of about three kilometers. The new main road was built in a length of 3.6 kilometers.
As for section 1 of this route, completion of works is planned in September, when the process of preparing documentation for technical acceptance will begin, as well as obtaining permits and approvals. In this section, all excavation and embankment works have been completed, and works are being carried out on building the pavement structure, sub-base, cement stabilization, asphalt, drainage works, and then electrical works, etc.
This part should be opened to traffic together with the section Poprikuse – Nemila at the end of October. Completion of the remaining part of this section is planned for the middle of next year.
A step closer to the goal
Completion of these sections does not represent only an infrastructural achievement, but also an important step toward fully connecting the country with modern highways. Shorter and safer travel, better regional connectivity, and a new perspective of economic development – these are all benefits that the October opening of these sections will bring.
With this, BiH becomes closer to achieving the long-term goal – construction of a modern corridor that will connect it with the region and Europe.
