New Milenijum bridge and Sozina tunnel put into operation on the Day of Republic of Montenegro

On the Day of Republic of Montenegro, July 13, Milenijum bridge was put into operation in Podgorica. The new bridge cost about €6m. The bridge is supported by 12 slanting cables whose weight is 205 tons. The cables are connected to the pylons 58 m high and all that makes the unique building in the Balkans. Besides the bridge across Morača, two boulevards, on the both sides of the river, were also put into operation.

The automobile tunnel Sozina, the greatest building project in the latest Montengrin history was also officially put into operation. The tunnel, on Podgorica-Bar road, is 4,200 meters long and it will shorten the Podgorice – Bar route by 24 km.

The construction of the tunnel cost €74m, which was mainly financed by Montenegro with the help of the credit approved by European Investment Bank. This is the biggest investment in Montenegro in the last 10 years. The works on the tunnel starte four years ago. During the works on construction of the tunnel through Sozina mountain 430,000 cubic meters of rocks and soil were dug up, 95,000 tons of concrete and 4,200 cubic meters of iron built in.

There are four substations in the tunnel, as well as device for measuring of carbon-monoxide and wind speed, semaphores and fire-fighting system. The tunnel is equipped with the up-to-date installations and devices, video-surveillance system (77 cameras), fire alarms and car crash alarms. The tunnel has top-quality ventilation (two bases that control 24 ventilators) and two lanes in each direction.

(Construction of Sozina tunnel)

Sozina tunnel can be reached from Virpazar, beneath Crmnica, and exit from the tunnel is in Haj-Nehaj near Sutomore. Automobiles, trucks and buses will no more have to go on the winding and dangerous mountain road through Petrovačka Gora. Long lines of cars are history.

The drivers in Montenegro will, for the first time ever, have to pay the toll of €2.5 for passenger vehicles, €12 for buses, whereas the toll for towing trucks and freight vehicles amount to €7.5 - €18.

(The photo of the Milenijum bridge was taken from magazine Danas)