From Sarajevo, i.e. Bradina, to the end point on the Sava by highway on Corridor Vc, it would be possible to travel smoothly in six years. The company Motorways of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) announces that by then, the northern section of the corridor should be fully completed. On that part, 50 km of the highway is under construction, and there is still work to be done on the Ozimice – Poprikuse section, which means that the entire northern part of the corridor will be in one of the construction phases.
The strategic goal of the new Administration of the public company Motorways of FBiH is to complete it in the summer of 2026.
Namely, 61 kilometers of highway are currently under construction on Corridor Vc, at eight active construction sites. By the beginning of the summer season, the Pocitelj – Zvirovici section will be put into traffic, and BiH will get another 11 km of highway. When it comes to the rest of the southern section, activities are intensifying.
“In the southern part of FBiH, apart from the already mentioned section Pocitelj – Zvirovici, on which activities are in the final phase, the plan is to start work on the sections Mostar south – Tunnel Kvanj, Tunnel Kvanj – Buna, Mostar north – Mostar by the end of this year. south, as well as the construction of the most complex facility on the entire Corridor, the Prenj tunnel. The start of work on these sections will bring a new 40 km of active construction sites,” said the FBiH Motorways.
The most demanding project is the Prenj tunnel
The construction of the Prenj tunnel from Mostar to Sarajevo will shorten the journey, which is currently 113 kilometers by highway, while Mostar and Sarajevo will be closer to 82 kilometers by road.
The most demanding object on that route, the Prenj tunnel, will be 11 kilometers long and will be the ninth longest tunnel in Europe. The total value of the project is 800 million BAM.
As company Motorways of FBiH said, the planned deadline for signing the contract with the contractor is the third quarter of 2024, given that the Bank’s approval of the Pre-qualification Evaluation Report was received on February 27th, 2024.
“Tender documentation for the second phase was prepared and submitted to the Bank on January 29th, 2024 for commenting and coordination with the Bank. The announcement of the second phase is expected soon,” Motorways of FBiH pointed out.
Also, they state that the deadline for the completion of the Prenj tunnel is planned for August 2030 according to the dynamics.
Mostar South section – Kvanj tunnel
When asked about the section Mostar South – Tunnel Kvanj, they state that the tender for the construction of the section Mostar South – Tunnel Kvanj is nearing its end.
Motorways of FBiH expects that the construction contract should be signed in the spring.
“If the works proceed according to the predicted dynamics, the construction of this section, which is crucial for connecting the entire area of Herzegovina, will be completed by the end of 2028,” they pointed out.
They remind that the financier of this project on the construction of Corridor Vc is a reliable partner of Motorways of FBiH, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which allocated 60 million euros and fully supports the rapid implementation of the project. In their opinion, this is supported by the fact that at the end of the year, the Main Board of the EBRD has already given the green light for the approval of the disbursement of funds, and they are waiting for the commission to finalize the tender.
The construction of this section will have multiple benefits, and in addition to improved transport services and reduction of traffic on local roads, BiH will be connected to the regional transport infrastructure and tourist centers, which is of great importance for BiH tourism and the economy in general, Federalna writes.
E.Dz.
Photo: Illustration
