Serbia plans to complete the construction of the highway from Požega to the border with Montenegro within the next three years, finalizing the future Corridor 11. This route, part of the Trans-European Motorway (TEM), will connect Belgrade to the Adriatic coast and stretch for 269 kilometers, reports Telegraf Biznis.
The section from Požega to Boljare, 106.3 kilometers long, will run through the Moravica river valley, between the mountains of Javor and Golija, and across the Pešter plateau. The route is divided into 11 segments, with the most complex part between Požega and Duga Poljana, featuring 72 bridges spanning 35 kilometers and 10 tunnels totaling nearly 17 kilometers, according to Telegraf Biznis.
The highway will have two traffic lanes and one emergency lane in each direction, designed for speeds up to 120 km/h. The route largely bypasses urban areas, with minimal impact on the municipalities of Arilje and Ivanjica.
Simultaneously, the 30.9-kilometer Preljina–Požega section is nearing completion. Once opened, the travel time from Belgrade to Požega will be about 90 minutes. Key structures, including the Munjino brdo, Laz, and Trbušani tunnels, have already been built. The project’s value is estimated at 450 million euros, with completion expected by year-end.
The plan includes multiple interchanges and rest stops along the route, such as junctions near Arilje, Ivanjica, Međurečje, Duga Poljana, and Karajukića Bunara, along with rest areas and parking at locations including Arilje, Trešnjevica, Ivanjica, and Boljare.
While Serbia finalizes its segment, attention is now shifting to Montenegro, where construction is planned for the 21-kilometer Mateševo–Andrijevica section. The works are expected to last around five years, with a project cost estimated at 550 million euros. So far, Montenegro secured 100 million euros in EU grants and 200 million euros in favorable loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with the remaining funds coming from the Montenegrin budget.
Montenegrin Transport Minister Maja Vukićević emphasized that the focus will be on quality and cost-effectiveness, with EBRD oversight. Contractor selection is expected this summer, with initial works possibly starting by the end of the year. Land expropriation is largely completed, and an environmental impact assessment is underway.
If everything proceeds as planned, citizens of Serbia and Montenegro will soon be able to travel on a modern highway from Belgrade to the Adriatic Sea in just three and a half hours.
