Visit-Montenegro.com: Slow but sure toward better roads

Podgorica – Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Telecommunication, Andrija Lompar looked up third lanes on the sections of the road Podgorica – Cetinje – Budva which underwent major rehabilitation and construction a year ago. After making round of the road he remarked “the road network of Montenegro is getting gradually but steadily improved.”

“This year we completed nearly 6.3 kilometers of third lanes. Apart from this, construction works have been performed on 30 different locations of the road network of Montenegro, including 11 locations on the road Risan – Grahovo – Zabljak. Bypass roads are under construction as well. 30 kilometers of motorways were reconstructed as well as 10 kilometers of regional roads. In compliance with the programme of maintenance and reconstruction of the road infrastructure, we have covered all planned activities on schedule,” Lompar said after completing the tour of newly-built third lanes accompanied by his associates, Veselin Grbovic of the Public Roads Directorate and constructors.

The Minister said that “reconstruction of the roads will be continued the following year at the same pace.”

“We will start rehabilitation of important intersection near Danilovgrad in autumn. Moreover, we are preparing to reconstruct another 11 major intersections in other cities. After we define development and technical conditions, we intend to invite tenders for the Adriatic - Ionian highway project and it is highly important to finish this during the year. Hence, it is evident that the road network of Montenegro is getting gradually but steadily improved,” Lompar stated adding that in the few following days all construction works on the road to Niksic will be completed.

Three third lanes of the main road Podgorica – Cetinje – Budva were constructed. The amount of EUR 670.000 was earmarked for the third lane along one kilometer stretch of road in Kamenica, while construction of 3.1 km stretch of road near Meterizi cost EUR 2 million approximately. The amount of EUR 1.9 million was earmarked for 1.6 kilometer-long third lane of the road near Brajici.

Two new lanes (each 200 m long) and one 400 meter-long third lane on the access road to ferry crossing in Kamenari were finished. According to constructors, the road extension at the access point to ferry crossing was extremely demanding project since the major part of construction works was carried out in the water. The new ferry will double the capacity and, therefore, traffic congestion on this crossing of the Bay of Kotor should be reduced to minimum, which is at least what the Transport officials expect.

“Through regular maintenance the road signs were replaced and the most critical sections of the roadway were rehabilitated, hence this road is now in good condition. We have prepared the third lane project of 4 km stretch of road between Sitnica and Kokoti and we are presently in negotiations with the municipality of Podgorica to carry out the project jointly within the next year,” Grbovic informed.

He says that the main season hasn’t even started and yet there are 16.000 vehicles a day (on average) on the road from Budva to Tivat, according to the latest traffic flow measurement.

“This entails that it would be a sound decision to build a highway here. In case the land expropriation process is carried out by the municipalities, we will undertake construction of the four-lane boulevard between Budva and Tivat, wherever it is possible. Something has to be done on this matter since in peak season this road is used by 20.000 vehicles a day,” Grbovic remarked.

When asked to comment on reducing the period of construction season each year, he said that this issue posed a real problem.

“We had practically only March, April and May to perform road construction. This is a very short period of time and therefore a serious problem. Construction workers who were engaged in construction of third lanes finished their job in three months this year, and this kind of work would certainly take up to one year to be finished in previous years,” Grbovic added.

By M.B.