The €40 Million Tunnel That Leads Nowhere

From nowhere to nowhere. That is what locals in the Croatian town of Omiš on the Dalmatian coast are calling a tunnel which has now been under construction for a number of years and is now near completion…

Work on the 1.5 kilometre tunnel in Omiš is due to be completed in another month or so, but this is a tunnel with a difference – it leads nowhere. Nobody is sure what the tunnel is supposed to connect with the exit sending drivers on a deep drop straight into the Cetina canyon. On the other side of the canyon are stoney cliffs. Locals are bemused and are questioning the 40-odd million euros which have been spent so far on constructing the tunnel.

“At this moment Croatian Motorways are actively working on a study and gathering all documents to apply for EU funds (for a bridge to be built),” a Croatian Motorways spokesperson told Nova TV when quizzed about a the mysterious tunnel.

“It is a tunnel which leads nowhere. Maybe it will become a tourist attraction,” said one local Omiš resident, a sentiment shared by the town’s new Mayor.

Cetina Canyon

“This (tunnel) is not useful in any way, it is only good to grow mushrooms in. There are other solutions, and we presented those to the Ministry of Transport but they were turned down,” said Mayor Ivan Kovačić. (photo / screenshot Nova TV)