HRVATSKA UDRUGA KONCESIONARA ZA NEWSLETTER AUTOCESTE S NAPLATOM CESTARINE / NOVEMBER 2008 CROATIAN ASSOCIATION OF TOLL MOTORWAYS CONCESSIONAIRES A6 Motorway, Rijeka − Zagreb opened to traffic in full motorway profile On October 22, 2008, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Ivo Sanader, ceremoniously opened to traffic the Rijeka − Zagreb Motorway in full motorway profile, in its entire length of 146.5 kilometres. The opening ceremony, held on the mo- was followed by the Zagreb to Karlovac sec- torway route next to the south portal of tion, 39.3 km in length, which was opened a the Tuhobić Tunnel, was graced by the year later, in 1972. The next motorway and presence of Božidar Kalmeta, Minister of semi�motorway sections, 46.8 km in total Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Marina length, were built on the stretch from Rijeka Matulović�Dropulić, Minister of Environ- to Kupjak, from 1971 to 1982, and from 1996 mental Protection, Physical Planning and to 1997. Construction, Božo Biškupić, Minister of The rate of the Rijeka � Zagreb Motorway Culture, and representatives of contractors, construction was significantly accelerated regional and local government units, and after establishment of the concession com- other distinguished guests. The motorway pany called Autocesta Rijeka � Zagreb d.d. 55.57 kilometres in length (as related to the was blessed by the Rijeka Archbishop, Ivan The rest of the construction project was di- total planned route 146.5 km in length). This Devčić. vided into two phases. motorway widening work was completed in The opening of the full profile sections The Phase I project involved (semi) motor- October 2008. Oštrovica � Vrata (11 km) and Kupjak - Vr- way construction from Kupjak to Karlovac, The highly demanding nature of the Rijeka bovsko (3.6 km) marks completion of the Ri- 60.18 kilometres in length. This work was � Zagreb motorway project is evidenced by jeka � Zagreb Motorway Project, the realiza- completed in 2004. the fact that the total length of structures is tion of which lasted almost four decades. The Phase II (divided into subphases IIA and 22.1 km (15%) while the route is 124.4 km in The total length of the Rijeka � Zagreb Mo- IIB) of the Rijeka � Zagreb motorway con- length (85%). Thus the total length of bridg- torway is 146.5 kilometres. The construction struction project involved widening of the es is 1.7 km, viaducts account for 10.1 km, work started in the early 1970s. In fact, the semi motorway to the full motorway profile, and tunnels for 10.3 km. In total, there are first section from Orehovica to Kikovica, 10.5 and this from the Bosiljevo II interregional 5 bridges, 13 tunnels, 34 viaducts, 45 over- km long, was opened to traffic in 1971. This interchange to the Kikovica interchange, passes and 26 underpasses. The Rijeka � Zagreb motorway is an inte- gral part of the European roadway E65, and it links the greatest and most significant Croatian port of Rijeka with Zagreb, and thus with the entire motorway network of the central and western Europe. It is a part of the Pan�European transport corridor Vb. In Bosiljevo II Interchange, this motorway is linked with the Zagreb � Split � Dubrovnik Motorway. The completion of the Rijeka � Zagreb mo- torway will further improve transport links with the neighbouring countries. It will also result in speedier growth of trade and tour- ism, and in more convenient transport of goods and passengers, which will undoubt- edly spur economic development in all Tuhobić Tunnel spheres of activity. Full profile construction starts on Istrian Upsilon The start of full−profile construction works was ceremoniously marked on 6 October 2008. The Phase 2A work is to be completed in 41 months. In addition to higher driving comfort, the four−lane motorway will also bring considerable improvements in the sphere of traffic safety. Immediately after opening to traffic of the last semi�motorway section (Vodnjan � Pula), FINANCING OF WORKS and in response to rapid and steady increase Following approval of the Republic of Cro- of traffic, Bina�Istra initiated in the early atia in its capacity as grantor, the financ- 2007 preliminary activities needed for full ing has been secured in December 2007 profile construction (detailed design work for widening to the full motorway profile. for the so called Phase 2 Project, building In this respect, Bina�Istra has signed a permit procurement by sections, purchase of syndicated loan agreement for EUR 693.5 land needed for road widening, and archaeo- million with the consortium formed of logical investigations along the route). features already present on the Istrian Up- three banks: Société Générale, The Royal The full profile motorway will be realized in silon � waste water drainage and purifica- Bank of Scotland, and Zagrebačka banka, phases, so that the entire task of doubling the tion systems, noise barriers, use of solar d.d. This loan enables refinancing of the Istrian Upsilon road route can be completed energy for powering emergency phones existing debt dating back to 2003 (funding as soon as practicable. In fact, the construc- and speed-measuring radar equipment, that was required to complete the Phase tion is to start immediately after delivery of energy�efficient tunnel ventilation system 1 construction) at a much more favour- construction permit for any road section or � the widening to the full motorway profile able interest rate, and provides stand�by road structure. Based on this policy, the full will bring some additional features of great financing for continued construction on profile construction work for the Vodnjan - significance for sustainable development: the Istrian Upsilon project (widening to Pula section started immediately after pro- ENERGY�EFFICIENT LIGHTING � an envi- the full profile). This is one of the biggest curement of the valid construction permit. ronmental lighting system, in which light loans awarded so far to a private Croatian will be shed on the concrete and asphalt company. WHY BUILD FULL PROFILE areas only, is to be installed on all inter- changes, and hence the natural biorhythm ON THE ISTRIAN UPSILON Toll collection improvements of birds and nocturnal animals will be pre- PROJECT? The construction of the full motorway profile served, and OPTIMIZED USE OF SPACE � will also enable introduction of a new tariff- the Istrian Upsilon will become even more Traffic growth ing method, the so called closed toll collec- compatible with the existing secondary road Over the past decade, the traffic on the Is- tion system. According to the new system, network of Istria. In fact, in the scope of the trian Upsilon has been increasing at the the user will be paying for the distance actu- full profile construction work, Bina�Istra rate of about 5 percent annually. In summer ally travelled. will also build two roads that do not form months, up to 15 thousand vehicles pass This is considerably different from the cur- part of the concession area. Toll will not be through Učka Tunnel each day, while this rently applied open toll collection system charged on these two roads, and they will daily figure for the Mirna Bridge is as many in which only the users passing through the be handed over to the Croatian national as 19 thousand vehicles! Because of the Učka Tunnel and over the Mirna Bridge pay or county�level road authority for further great traffic density and intensity, the Istrian toll, and are charged for the entire length of operation and use. The first one is the link Upsilon has become overly congested. It is the Istrian Upsilon transport scheme. road 1.5 km in length from the Umag Inter- obvious that, for traffic safety reasons, rapid The electronic toll collection system com- change to the national road D200, in the di- action had to be taken to widen the roadway patible with that applied by other motorway rection of the Kaštel and Plovanija border to the full motorway profile. concessionaires in Croatia will also be intro- crossings, and the second one is the 8 km For instance, the traffic at the Učka Tunnel duced. long link road from Pula Interchange (Is- has doubled in the period from 1995 to 2008. trian Upsilon) to Pomer (Medulin), which is It can reasonably be expected that traffic Sustainable development expected to ease traffic at the entrance to will continue to increase in the mid term In addition to the environmentally friendly the town of Pula. at the rate of 5 percent annually and, after completion of the full profile motorway, Bina�Istra experts believe that the traffic will be increasing by about 2�3 % annually in the long term. Safety When compared to the current two�lane facility (semi�motorway), the level of traffic safety at the future four�lane motorway will be much higher, particularly as to the direct collision hazard. With the increase of traf- fic, this positive safety element will become even more pronounced. Information sign on Istrian Y � construction of full profile HRVATSKA UDRUGA KONCESIONARA ZA AUTOCESTE S NAPLATOM CESTARINE / CROATIAN ASSOCIATION OF TOLL MOTORWAYS CONCESSIONAIRES NEWSLETTER 15, NOVEMBER 2008 FULL-PROFILE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE The Phase II (road profile doubling) is divided into two subphases: 2A and 2B. The subphase 2A work concerns construction of those sections for which the existing location permits and environmental impact studies can be used, while the Subphase 2B work will be undertaken upon procurement of location permits and/or preparation of environmental impacts studies. Phase 2A: • Second carriageway on the following sections: Umag � Kanfanar, with the exception of the Limska Draga Viaduct and Mirna Bridge (49.2 km) Kanfanar � Pula, including the new Vodnjan North Interchange (27.6 km) Kanfanar � Rogovići (18 km) Note: The cross�section for two additional lanes consists of 2 lanes x 3.5 m + 2.5 m emergency lane • Introduction of the closed toll collection system on the entire network, with the exception of the Matulji � Učka Tunnel section.