State-owned company Monteput is advancing preparations for the Smokovac–Tološi highway section, a 10-kilometer stretch intended to form part of the Bar–Boljare motorway and serve as a Podgorica bypass to ease city traffic congestion.
Following the selection of contractors for the preliminary design, Monteput submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report to the Environmental Protection Agency for approval.
According to the documentation prepared by Via Project, the highway will allow speeds of 100–120 km/h and include five bridges (Širalija, Zeta, Velje Brdo, the Velje Brdo interchange, and Tološi) totaling nearly 3 kilometers, as well as a 1.16-kilometer tunnel near Velje Brdo.
The route begins at the Smokovac interchange, connecting to the existing toll station and continuing through Rogami, across the Širalija valley, over Trijebač hill, and the Zeta river, before entering Velje Brdo and ending at the planned Tološi interchange.
The project covers an area of about 1.13 million m², mostly rural zones on the outskirts of Podgorica. Some residential and commercial buildings along the route will require demolition and resettlement, with compensation foreseen for affected owners.
Public consultation on the EIA runs until November 21, and a public hearing is scheduled for November 10.
Monteput signed a €654,200 contract earlier this year with Via Project, CDS Project, and Geotin MNE for the conceptual design, following a 2023 tender valued at around €1 million (with VAT). Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and take three years, with completion projected for 2029.
