Highway to Merdare to be funded from three sources – Bridges and tunnels around Prokuplje

The construction of the so-called Peace Highway will be financed from the loan of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the investment grant that will be made available to Serbia through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure told our portal.

As they explain, the investment value will be determined upon the preparation of the preliminary project.

– The Nis-Merdare highway will be a part of the E80 highway and act as a connection between the Nis traffic hub and Pristina and beyond, through Albania, to the Adriatic Sea. The route is 77 km long and is divided into two sectors and six sections. The investment value of the first phase has been estimated at around EUR 212 million – they add.

The preliminary project of the first sector, Nis-Plocnik, has been prepared and is currently undergoing professional review at the State Audit Institution, whereas the preliminary project for the second sector, Plocnik-Merdare (37.6 km) is being prepared.

– The first sector, from Nis to Plocnik, is 39.5 km long and will be completed following the correction of the project's flaws. Parallel to the finalization of the preliminary project, the terms of reference for the Project for the Building Permit and the Project for the Execution of Works is being prepared – the ministry told eKapija.

Under the document adopted on May 30, 2018, the realization of the project of the construction of the Nis-Merdare highway and the preparation of the technical documentation was put, in the capacity of an investor, in charge of the PE Corridors of Serbia.

The Ministry of Construction adds that, parallel to this, amendments to the plan of the special purpose area of the infrastructural corridor of the E80 highway are being prepared.

The tendering for the contractors, they say, can only start after the preparation of the terms of reference.

– The deadline for the engineering design is 12-18 months and it is only afterwards that the tendering for the contractors can start.

The construction of the first section of the highway is expected to begin after the completion of the process of the preparation of the entire project documentation and the finalization of the expropriation procedure.

As planned, the highway will have six sections. The first section (5.5 km) will start at the existing Merosina interchange on the E75 corridor and end past the planned Merosina East interchange. In addition to the said interchange, five bridges are planned on this section, totaling around 130 m in length.

The second section (8.8 km) will start past the Merosina East interchange and end before the planned Prokuplje East interchange. The section is designed for speeds of up to 130 km/h. There are 6 bridges on the section, whose total length amounts to around 1,000 m. There are also 5 overpasses of a total of around 300 m and 2 tunnels amounting to around 450 m in length.

The third section (12.8 km) will pass through the construction area of Prokuplje and will be characterized by very complex spatial features. It is designed for the speed of 100 km/h. Several bridge structures and tunnels are planned on this section. Upon exiting the tunnel in northwestern Prokuplje, the corridor returns to the Toplica river valley. The section includes planned interchanges Prokuplje East and Prokuplje West. There are 11 bridges on the section of the total length of around 1,900 m, as well as 3 overpasses amounting to around 200 m and 4 tunnels, whose total length amounts to around 2,300 m.

The fourth section (5.6 km) starts in the Toplica river valley, past the corridor's exit from the construction area of Prokuplje, and ends right past the planned Beloljin interchange. It is designed for the speed of 130 km/h. There are three short bridges on the section, with the total length amounting to around 30 m.

The fifth section (6.8 km) start past the planned Beloljin interchange and ends at the Plocnik profile. It is designed for speeds of up to 130 km/h. There are 9 bridges on the section, totaling around 460 m in length.

The final, sixth section (37.6 km) begins at the Plocnik profile and ends at the administrative crossing Merdare.

It is designed for speeds of 100 to 130 km/h. The section contains three planned interchanges, Kursumlija, Rudare and Merdare. There are 137 bridges on the section, totaling around 6,400 m, 11 overpasses amounting to around 930 m in length and 7 tunnels of around 3,640 m in total.

Ministarstvo građevinarstva, saobraćaja i infrastrukture Republike Srbije

Koridori Srbije d.o.o. Beograd

EBRD Evropska banka za obnovu i razvoj Beograd

Evropska investiciona banka EIB

State Audit Institution

Peace Highway

Nis Merdare highway

Merdare

EBRD

EIB

WBIF

Western Balkans Investment Framework

highway E80

E80

Nis Plocnik highway

Plocnik

Plocnik Merdare highway

Merosina interchange

Merosina East interchange

Prokuplje East interchange

Prokuplje West interchange

Kursumlija interchange

Rudare interchange

Merdare interchange