The draft spatial plan (PPCG), according to Pobjeda’s information, is expected in April, and according to the existing concept, it has not yet been determined whether it will outline both the Adriatic-Ionian road and the fast coastal road, or only one of them. The concept does not yet have a detailed route, and the Government is still considering priorities.
The Adriatic-Ionian highway project is the European Union’s idea of connecting seven countries that are, or will be, part of the European family. The total length of the road is 1,100 kilometers, and it passes through Italy (starting point), Slovenia, Croatia and should continue through BiH, Montenegro and Albania to the Greek port of Igoumenica.
The proposal for the corridor of the primary network was formed on the basis of earlier planning solutions, so the route of the Adriatic-Ionian highway (continental), identical to the route from the previous plan, passes through the hinterland of the coastal region and in the area of Montenegro represents a connection between Croatia and Albania.
In the PPCG concept, there are dilemmas in the field of road traffic regarding the definition of corridors, that is, the routes of the main roads in the coastal region. In the basic traffic study, no inputs were given for solving the dilemmas regarding the “fast road” corridor, and in accordance with the recommendation of the Special Purpose Spatial Plan (PPPN) for the coastal area, no checks were made of alternative corridors in the area of Luštica and Budva.
As written in the concept, questions are open for the high-speed road corridor along the coastal aeria.
– This dilemma has existed for 30 years. In the PPCG until 2020, a corridor with a crossing over the Bay of Kotor is planned, and in the PPPN for the coastal area, alternative solutions were proposed, which should have been technically checked and defined through a traffic study for the needs of the preparation of the PPCG until 2040 before the start of the plan. Those inputs have not been received, and during the development of the plan at this stage, dilemmas are still being pointed out regarding the definition of the high-speed road corridor (Adriatic-Ionian coastal corridor). In the phase of the draft plan, the final report of the study, which is currently being prepared, will be taken into account, and is being done within the framework of the Technical Assistance – Investment Framework for the Western Balkans – Technical Assistance 5 (IPF 5) – the concept reads.
The following options are being analyzed: a corridor in the area of Boka Kotorska (Opatovo-Sv. Neđelja crossing, Verige), an alternative corridor on the route Zelenika – Luštica via the underwater bridge and further through Luštica to Lastva Grbaljska, a corridor of high-speed traffic in the Budva area (alternative in the area of Paštrovića) .
The concept also includeincludees consideration of an alternative land variant of the Bar – Boljare highway, in order to avoid the Skadar lake area.
– The intention of this plan is to finally resolve open dilemmas. In order for planners to be able to propose an optimal solution, additional information and analysis are necessary, and after that, reaching a consensus with the relevant institutions, based on arguments related to spatial aspects in terms of purpose and protection of space from the aspect of natural and cultural values, technical and economic indicators for the specified corridors – it says in the concept.
Eligibility criteria
Which solution will be prioritized will be determined according to the criteria: implementation and maintenance costs (economic costs) and profit costs for users (travel time, vehicle costs, environmental protection costs, traffic accident costs).
The concept states that, according to Study IPF5, the result is that the initial road route through coastal aeria from the current Spatial Plan is the most favorable, and that is the route that crosses the Boka Kotorska via the Verige bridge and does not bypass Paštrovići. However, due to limitations from the aspect of space protection, no final solution can be proposed in the plan concept phase.
The suggested route for the Bar – Boljare highway is: Đurmani – Sozina tunnel – Građani – Rijeka Crnojevića – Rvaši – Farmaci – Smokovac – Mateševo – Andrijevica – Berane – Boljare. This proposal avoids the Skadar lake zone, and in the Berane zone, a variant that does not pass through the city is proposed.
For the expressway on the coast, the proposal is: the border with Croatia, the hinterland of Herceg Novi, Kruševice, the Verige bridge, the Tivat bypass via Gradiošnica, Kavač, Sutvar, Brtešići, the Budva to Stanišić bypass, a tunnel in the Kuljač area and a connection with the highway in the Građana area . The expressway continues along the highway section from Građan to the exit from the Sozina tunnel and further along the bypass of Bar and Ulcinj to the border with Albania.
As stated in the concept of the spatial plan, high-grade roads are the most effective means for the realization of development goals and the optimal organization of space.
– But inadequate corridors can cause negative effects on regional and internal development and use of space. In addition, high-grade roads are proportionately expensive investments. The creation of the PPCG until 2040 is an opportunity and a planning and political obligation to check all the possibilities and optimal corridors of the highway (Adriatic-Ionian continental variant) and highways for high-speed traffic (four lanes) in the coastal region – it is written in the concept of the PPCG.
This includes an assessment of the needs and possibilities of building both a highway and a “high-speed highway” in a parallel direction at a relatively short distance in relation to the expected and possible international and internal traffic flows, as well as the possibility and conditions of financing from domestic and foreign sources; verification of corridors in relation to the needs of efficient functioning of international and domestic traffic flows and the most effective connection of centers in terms of the integration of the space of Montenegro; checking route variants along the selected corridor (crossing over the Bay of Kotor – bridge or underwater bridge – cassette in the sea), an alternative route via Luštica, a higher or lower route in the area of the municipality of Budva and other possible variants.
Studies
The IPF5 study comes to the conclusion that the initial route from the valid spatial plan is the most favorable, i.e. the route that crosses the Bay of Kotor via the Verige bridge and does not bypass Paštrovići. Due to limitations from the aspect of space protection, a final solution cannot be proposed in the concept phase of the plan.
Several variants of the expressway corridor were considered on the topographical basis, from the aspect of impact on space, protection of natural and cultural values, technical benefits and economic effects.
At its 36th session, the World Heritage Committee also recommended that other ways of connecting the bay, such as a tunnel, be explored. The mission recommends that, in parallel with the work on the tunnel project, other alternatives that do not have a negative impact on the visual characteristics and integrity of the protected area, which would relieve the connection between the bays and improve the general traffic network of Boka Kotorska, should be explored, in accordance with the decisions of the Committee for the World heritage: improvement of the ferry service, development of public transport, non-road and alternative; improvement of bypass roads in the Bay of Kotor, according to the recommendations in the mission report.
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