The ambitious Peljesac Bridge, inaugurated on Tuesday, has in the meantime pushed back other construction projects including access roads, other bridges, viaducts, and tunnels which are part of the larger South Dalmatia Road Connectivity plan, the Jutarnji List daily reported on Wednesday in an article in which it highlighted the importance of all the structures in the project.

Apart from Peljesac Bridge, another three bridges, two viaducts and four tunnels are included in the project, and two scenic overlooks and several crossings for local farmers have already been finished, the Zagreb-based daily newspaper said.

They say that so far 25 kilometers of access roads have been built, while a 7.5-kilometre section between Prapratno and the town of Ston remains to be constructed by the Greek Avax company. Apart from Avax, the Austrian Strabag company is engaged in the construction of access roads.

In mid-November 2019, Strabag started their part of the construction of access roads to Peljesac Bridge. The construction of the Duboka-Sparagovici/Zaradeze section commenced on 13 November 2019. The Duboka-Sparagovici/Zaradeze section is 12.05 kilometers long. This segment of the network of access roads includes the construction of two tunnels, two bridges, a viaduct and other components. The project costs 478.3 million kuna (without VAT).

The Ston ring road and the Sparagovici/Zaradeže-Prapratno and Prapratno-Doli sub-sections are being built by the Greek Avax company. This project costs 511.5 million kuna without VAT.

“Avax has faced financial troubles and administrative and transport obstacles in the dispatchment of its machinery and equipment. Furthermore, the Covid-19 pandemic and labour shortage has made the implementation of the project more difficult,” Jutarnji List said.

(€1 = 7.50 kuna)