July the 21st, 2025 – Part of the new Zagreb bypass is set to have 6 traffic lanes, with these extensive works totalling a huge 42 million euros.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Sinisa Malus writes, a full 44 years after its construction, Croatian Motorways has announced a preliminary public consultation for the construction of an additional lane of the Zagreb bypass on the Jankomir – Lučko section. This new part of the Zagreb bypass would have six lanes instead of the current four. After the consultation, a tender for construction will be announced.
The start of these extensive works is planned for next year, and it would last a total of 18 months. The estimated value of the job stands at a massive 42 million euros. The construction of the third lane also includes the adjustment of all infrastructure elements, including external and internal drainage systems, existing installations, the modernisation of traffic equipment and signalling in accordance with applicable regulations.
The project envisages the widening of the roadway by adding an additional lane in each direction. This includes the adjustment of all existing road elements and the reconstruction or construction of new facilities along the route. Although the Zagreb West and Lučko interchanges will be retained in their existing form, the acceleration and deceleration lanes will be adjusted to the new road width.
Parallel roads along this subsection will also remain unchanged, while the target vehicle speed will vary between 100 and 130 km/h. Owing to the non-compliance of the existing structures with the applicable regulations, which don’t allow for the safe use of a three-lane roadway without a stop lane, the construction of completely new structures with a standard profile is being planned. As part of it, there will be three lanes and one stop lane per direction.
All other elements of the motorway will also be included in the reconstruction – drainage, signalling, lighting, noise protection, landscaping and other equipment. This will all be carried out while respecting environmental and water conservation standards. Considering that it was designed for speeds of 120 km/h, the Zagreb bypass route will remain unaltered in terms of both its horizontal and vertical elements.
The section begins at the end of the Zagreb West interchange (around kilometre 15+000) and ends before the Lučko interchange (around kilometre 19+050). The minimum radii of curves and longitudinal elements of the route fully meet the requirements of the applicable technical regulations.
The Dubava Bridge will be completely removed and replaced with two brand new ones, one heading in each direction. The new bridge will be almost 19 metres wide in each direction, and constructed as a reinforced concrete frame structure in two phases without the need for heavy scaffolding. Following the construction of the temporary bridge and deviation, traffic will be redirected, which will allow for the unhindered construction of permanent structures. Upon completion, the temporary bridge and deviation will be removed.
In places where the route passes near plots, the construction of retaining walls approximately 100 metres in length is planned. These L-shaped walls will be almost three metres high and will also serve as a base for noise protection columns.
The Zagreb West and Lučko interchanges meet the technical and safety requirements for handling the existing and future traffic load. No changes in the number of lanes or acceleration and deceleration lanes are planned, but only their adaptation to the new roadway width.
At the Plitvice rest stop area, no construction interventions are currently planned, with only the alignment of the entry and exit lanes with a wider roadway scheduled. At the Zagreb West interchange, the A2 motorway will be included as a third lane with additional entry lanes and a continuous hard shoulder, which is in accordance with the type of inlet according to stringent German motorway guidelines.
At the Lučko interchange area, the roadway will not be widened. If necessary, however, the existing service roadway can be used to carry the third lane. The direction towards Karlovac will be separated earlier, while from the direction of Zagreb, the third lane will be included immediately before the interchange. Traffic signals and equipment will also all be modernised, but without additional construction interventions.
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