Podgorica Bypass

completed

The Project is to finance the completion of the Eastern Bypass of Podgorica (the “Project”) i.e. section I and part of section IV of the Bypass. The total cost of the Project is approximately EUR 15 million. The City has already constructed about two thirds of the Bypass over the last 5 years and these sections are already operational. The full Bypass includes four inter-dependent sections with a total length of about 9km and 4-lane dual carriageway profile, two sidewalks, several pedestrian, car and railroad underpasses and a new bridge over the Ribnica River. Approximately 60 % of the affected land is owned by the state, 20 % is private, 18 % is owned by Agro-Complex "13th July" and the remaining 2 % belonged to the military. The EU indentified the urban transit route through Podgorica as the key remaining bottle-neck on the motorway to the Adriatic Sea, and identified the Eastern Bypass as being of regional importance, and provided grant financing for its implementation. The Project is in line with long-standing plans for the development of the Transport sector of Podgorica and will have positive impacts on traffic flow as it will divert traffic away from the commercial and residential center of the City including nine major traffic-light controlled junctions. This should contribute to the reduction of the air pollution and traffic congestion in the city center, reduction in numbers of traffic accidents involving pedestrians and reduction of risks associated with transportation of dangerous goods through urban areas.