Construction of the Pelješac Bridge has provided a road connection between south Dalmatia – the southernmost part of Adriatic Croatia, where the city of Dubrovnik is located – and the mainland of the country. This has eliminated the need for road users travelling between the two parts of Croatia to go through two customs controls in less than 10 km and has thus cut travel time by more than 50 %.
Pelješac Bridge improves links with Croatia’s south Dalmatia region
- 25 September 2017
For me and for all young citizens, this bridge will significantly improve our quality of life. We will be able to reach destinations in Croatia much faster from Dubrovnik. I think it is great that construction of the Pelješac Bridge will contribute to Croatia's entry into the Schengen area, which will make life easier for all of us.
The Pelješac Bridge will be 2.4 km long. It will be a multi-span bridge, meaning that it has supports at either end and in between, and cable-stayed, with two towers from which cables run directly to the bridge deck in order to support it.
The design includes a four-lane carriageway, with one traffic lane and one emergency lane on each side. In addition, improvements are to be made to 10.2 km of the existing D414 road as part of the project.
A further element of the work is the building of two-lane access roads totalling 12 km in length on both sides of the main bridge. This entails construction of two tunnels, one 0.499 km and the other 2.47 km long, two smaller bridges, 0.51 km and 0.08 km in length, a 0.16 km viaduct and two rest areas, one on either side of the bridge.
A 7.9 km two-lane bypass is also to be built around the village of Ston. It includes two tunnels, a bridge, a viaduct and an interchange.
Eliminating the need to go through customs
Part of the Trans-European Transport Network, the current road connection runs across around 9 km of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s territory, through an area known as the Neum corridor. As a result, in order to get from one part of Croatia to the other, travellers have to pass through two customs checkpoints.
Because of this, a key aims of the project is increasing accessibility to the region in preparation for Croatia joining the Schengen area, which it is legally obliged to do, and strengthening the region’s territorial cohesion and transport links with important centres elsewhere.
Alternatives to a bridge rejected
Alternatives to the building of a bridge were considered. Some suggestions included the opening of a highway corridor, the establishment of a ferry connection and construction of tunnels. These options were subsequently rejected as either unfeasible or too expensive.
Prior to the beginning of the work, the project was assessed by independent experts and a report was compiled which provides statements on its feasibility and economic viability.
When completed, the Pelješac Bridge and accompanying road infrastructure will reduce journey times between the two points of Croatia’s D8 highway either side of the Neum corridor by 37 minutes, from 59 minutes to 22 minutes.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Road connection to south Dalmatia” is EUR 526 010 320, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 357 284 407 through the “Competitiveness and Cohesion” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.