First phase of new motorway in Croatia starts

Ilustration

The first phase of the new motorway in Croatia is under construction.

The new Novi Vinodolski bypass is expected to alleviate traffic congestion in the coastal town of Novi Vinodolski.

According to Croatian Motorways (HAC), the works are progressing as planned and should be completed by spring 2026, Večernji list reports.

Approximately 90 percent of both tunnels in Zagori have been excavated, and all the foundation piers on the Ričina viaduct should be completed by 15th August.

This is the current status of the Novi Vinodolski bypass, which is also the first phase of the future A7 motorway from Rupa to Rijeka to Žuta Lokva, currently under construction.

The bypass, a fast road 9.8 kilometres long, will run from the Selce interchange to the Novi Vinodolski interchange, with 6.5 kilometres following the A7 route, while the remaining 3.3 kilometres will connect to the Adriatic Highway (D8).

Novi Vinodolski (Photo credit: Piet Theisohn/CC license)

The bypass is expected to alleviate traffic congestion in Novi Vinodolski, and according to Croatian Motorways (HAC), the works are progressing as planned and should be completed by spring 2026.

Boris Huzjan, the director of HAC, stated during a site visit in March that the construction is complex, as the Zagori tunnel alone is over 800 metres long, while the Ričina viaduct stretches slightly more than one kilometre.

(Image: HAC)

HAC also reminded that the contract for the construction of the Novi Vinodolski bypass, valued at 63 million euros (excluding VAT), was signed with a consortium comprising the Slovenian company Kolektor CPG and the Italian company CM SPA.

The A7 motorway itself is part of the Adriatic road route, designated as European route E-65 (partly E-61), which connects coastal areas of southwestern Europe and “enables high-quality connections between urban, tourist, and industrial centres of the region.”