Network of highways and expressways in Montenegro – Approximately 650 km of new road routes planned, valued at nearly EUR 11 billion

Montenegro plans to construct a total of approximately 650 kilometers of new and planned road routes, comprising a network of highways and expressways, with an estimated value of around EUR 10.5 billion. An overview of the highway and expressway network projects, released alongside an invitation for US companies to participate in the construction of sections of the Adriatic-Ionian Motorway, details the current stage of each planned section and the timeline for preparing project documentation.

According to a document from the Ministry of Public Works, the complete network of A1 and A2 highways and B1–B6 expressways spans 649.5 kilometers, with a total estimated value of EUR 10.545 billion for the sections where cost estimates are available.

Of the entire network, the first section of the Bar–Boljare motorway, the 42-kilometer Smokovac–Matesevo stretch, has been completed and opened to traffic so far. This section opened on July 13, 2022.

This is followed by a series of projects currently in various stages of design.

Bar–Boljare highway

On the northern route, the Matesevo–Andrijevica section spans 22 kilometers and is valued at EUR 694 million. The conceptual design and preliminary design have been completed, while the main design is currently under development. Preparatory works for this section began in June, and as previously announced, the main construction works are set to start next year. The construction contract was awarded to the Chinese consortium PowerChina–STECOL–PCCD and signed in February. The deadline for completion is five years.

The Andrijevica–Crnca section spans 28 kilometers and has an estimated value of EUR 585 million. The conceptual design has been completed, the preliminary design is currently being drafted, and the main design is scheduled for 2028.

Further along towards the Serbian border, the Crnca–Boljare section will be built. It spans 23 kilometers with an estimated value of EUR 460 million. For this section, too, the conceptual design is finished and the preliminary design is underway, while the main design is planned for 2030.

On the southern part of the Bar–Boljare highway, the Smokovac–Tolosi section is 10.5 kilometers long and valued at an estimated EUR 236 million. The conceptual and preliminary designs have been completed, and the main design is scheduled for 2027. A tender for design and construction was launched in early September, and the process of selecting a contractor is currently ongoing.

The Tolosi–Virpazar section spans a total of 41 kilometers and has an estimated value of EUR 850 million. This is a unique section of the network because the 16-kilometer stretch from Tolosi to Gradac is designated as the A1, while the remaining 25 kilometers from Gradac to Virpazar are shared by the Bar-Boljare motorway and the Adriatic-Ionian Corridor. The conceptual solution has been completed, the preliminary design is currently being developed, and the main design is scheduled for 2028.

The next section, Virpazar–Zaljevo, is 23 kilometers long and has an estimated cost of EUR 700 million. It is shared by the A1 and A2 routes and will serve as the future bypass for the town of Bar. The preliminary concept design has been completed, while the preliminary design is currently being developed, with completion expected by the end of 2026. The preparation of an expropriation study is planned to run in parallel.

Adriatic-Ionian highway

A distinct part of the investment cycle is the Montenegrin section of the Adriatic-Ionian highway, which is intended to connect the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina at Nudo to the border with Albania at Sukobin.

The planned route through Montenegro spans approximately 127 kilometers, and the estimated cost of constructing the entire corridor is around EUR 2.8 billion. The highway will link Montenegro to the route leading toward Trebinje and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the northwest, and toward Albania and Greece in the southeast.

In the west, the planned section is Gradac–Cevo, spanning 19 kilometers with an estimated value of around EUR 380 million. The preliminary concept design has been completed, while the development of the preliminary design is currently planned.

The Cevo–Krivosije section spans 16 kilometers and has an estimated value of EUR 320 million. For this section, too, the preliminary concept design is complete. The preliminary design is scheduled for this year, and the main design for 2018. Let us remind that, in early June, Monteput signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the French company Bouygues Travaux Publics regarding the development of this section.

A route with a total length of 21 kilometers, estimated at EUR 480 million, is planned from Krivosije via Grahovo to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The conceptual solution has been completed, and the preliminary design is scheduled for this year, while the detailed design is planned for 2028 for the Grahovo–Krivosije section, and for the branch from Grahovo to the BiH border by 2030.

The central part of the corridor consists of the 25-kilometer-long Gradac–Virpazar section. This section is shared by the A1 and A2 routes, meaning it is part of both the Bar–Boljare and Adriatic-Ionian highways, and the preliminary design is currently in preparation. The detailed design is scheduled for 2029.

Heading south, the Virpazar–Zaljevo section spans 23 kilometers and is estimated at EUR 700 million. As this will serve as the future bypass for Bar and a shared segment of the A1 and A2 routes, the section is also significant for connecting Podgorica and the north with Bar and the Port of Bar. Planned features along the route include the Virpazar, Zupci, and Zaljevo interchanges, as well as the Sutorman tunnel, which is approximately six kilometers long.

The southern terminus of the Adriatic-Ionian Highway comprises the Zaljevo–Ulcinj–Albania border (at Sukobin) section. It is 23 kilometers long and estimated at EUR 420 million. The conceptual solution has been completed, and the preliminary design is currently being developed. The route is intended to run via Pecurice, Krute, and Vladimir to Sukobin, where it connects to the Albanian road network leading to Greece.

Tenders are planned for the development of preliminary designs for four western sections of the Adriatic-Ionian highway: Gradac–Cevo, Cevo–Krivosije, Krivosije–Grahovo and Grahovo–BiH border. The document notes that the preliminary concept for the entire corridor has been completed, while preliminary designs are currently being prepared for the Tolosi–Virpazar, Virpazar–Zaljevo and Zaljevo–Sukobin sections.

Tolosi–Gradac as a link between Podgorica and the Adriatic-Ionian corridor

Special emphasis is placed on the 16-kilometer Tolosi–Gradac section. While it is part of the Bar–Boljare highway, it also serves to connect to the Adriatic-Ionian corridor.

The preliminary concept has been completed, while the preliminary design is currently in preparation and expected to be finished in January 2027. An expropriation study is being prepared in parallel. Interchanges are planned at Tolosi and Farmaci, while Gradac would serve as the connection point to the rest of the network.

Expressways along the coast and towards Croatia

In addition to highways, a network of expressways is also planned.

The Ljubotinj–Markovici section is 15 kilometers long and is estimated to cost EUR 380 million. The conceptual solution has been completed, the preliminary design is currently being drafted, and the main design is scheduled for 2028.

The Budva bypass section (Markovici–Lastva Grbaljska) is eight kilometers long, with an estimated cost of approximately EUR 200 million (excluding VAT) or EUR 237 million (including VAT). The conceptual solution is complete, while the main design is in progress. Last week, the Government approved the commencement of preparatory works for this road. A design-and-build contract was signed with the company Briv Construction in late June. The consortium also includes the companies Herc Gradnja, Hering, IPSA Institut, and Shandong. The deadline for the completion of works is 2030.

Routes extending southward are also planned: Lastva Grbaljska–Lustica (19 kilometers) and Lustica–Croatian border (also 19 kilometers). Conceptual solutions for both sections have been completed, though the document specifies neither estimated costs nor further design timelines.

A Krivosije–Croatian border section is also planned, spanning 30 kilometers with an estimated value of EUR 600 million. For this section, the conceptual solution is scheduled for 2026, the preliminary design for 2027, and the main design for 2028.

Routes towards Pljevlja, Niksic and Zabljak

A major investment component consists of the expressways intended to connect central and northern Montenegro.

The Crnca–Pljevlja section spans 64 kilometers and is valued at an estimated EUR 900 million. The preliminary concept has been completed; the preliminary design is scheduled for 2026, and the detailed design for 2029.

Next is the section from Pljevlja to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, covering 30 kilometers with an estimated value of around EUR 400 million. The preliminary design is planned for 2027, and the detailed design for 2031.

Three sections are planned along the Niksic–Zabljak–Pljevlja route. The Niksic–Savnik section spans 35 kilometers with an estimated value of EUR 495 million. The tender for the preliminary design is planned for 2027, while the tender for the detailed design is scheduled for 2028.

The Savnik–Zabljak section covers 22 kilometers and is valued at an estimated EUR 310 million. The tender for the preliminary design is planned for 2029, and for the detailed design in 2031.

Regarding the Zabljak–Pljevlja section, specifically the route to Vrulja, it will span 38 kilometers with an estimated value of EUR 535 million. The tender for the preliminary design is planned for 2029, and for the detailed design in 2032.

Podgorica–Tuzi, Podgorica–Danilovgrad, and Danilovgrad–Niksic sections

In the central part of the country, the Smokovac–Tuzi–Bozaj section is planned, spanning 24 kilometers with a value of EUR 420 million. The conceptual solution has been completed, the preliminary design is scheduled for 2028, and the detailed design for 2031.

The Podgorica–Danilovgrad section spans 16 kilometers and has an estimated value of EUR 230 million. The conceptual solution is currently under development, the preliminary design is planned for 2030, and the detailed design for 2031.

A 34-kilometer section runs from Danilovgrad towards Niksic, with an estimated value of EUR 470 million. The conceptual solution is complete, while tenders for the preliminary and detailed designs are scheduled for 2027 and 2031, respectively.

To the east, the Andrijevica–Kosovo border section spans 27 kilometers and is valued at approximately EUR 480 million. The conceptual solution is complete, the tender for the preliminary design is planned for 2028, and the tender for the detailed design for 2032.

One section opened, most roadways in design phase

The overview shows that the majority of the planned network is still in the design phase, while the Smokovac–Matesevo section is the only highway segment built and opened to date.

At the same time, several projects are entering more concrete stages of preparation. Preliminary designs are already being drafted for certain sections, while the initiation of work on others is merely in the planning stage. Regarding the Adriatic-Ionian corridor, which spans approximately 127 kilometers within Montenegro and has an estimated value of around EUR 2.8 billion, the comprehensive preliminary design has been completed. However, the subsequent design phase is still being prepared for the majority of the route.

The Virpazar-Zaljevo, Tolosi-Gradac, and Tolosi-Virpazar sections hold particular significance, as they link the future Adriatic-Ionian route to Podgorica, Bar, and the already constructed section of the Bar-Boljare highway.

The complete registry, however, indicates that the development of road infrastructure in Montenegro is planned within a network far broader than just the Adriatic-Ionian highway, extending from routes toward Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, through Podgorica, Niksic, and Zabljak, to Pljevlja, Andrijevica, Kosovo, and Albania.

A total length of 649.5 kilometers is listed across 26 highway and expressway sections, with an estimated value of EUR 10.545 billion, although three of these sections do not have a listed value in the registry.

Monteput

Briv Construction

Herc gradnja

Hering

IPSA Institut

Shandong

Power Constuction Corporation of China

PowerChina

STECOL

PCCD

Bouygues Travaux Publics

Ministry of Public Works

Bar Boljare highway

Adriatic Ionian highway

road construction

expressway construction