Co-financed by the European Union, the Pelješac Bridge, which was officially opened on Tuesday, stretches between Komarna on the mainland and Brijesta on the Pelješac peninsula, providing easier access to Dubrovnik’s popular tourist spot. The launch of the 2.4-kilometer (1.5-mile) cable-stayed structure is being hailed as a historic moment for the country, with hundreds of people being the first to cross on foot as the bridge opened to pedestrians and then drivers. Until now, both residents and tourists had to pass through Bosnia and Herzegovina when traveling to and from the South Dalmatia region to the mainland, which meant they were subject to border controls, causing traffic delays and leaving some of those in the Adriatic, the area feels isolated. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic described the structure, which cost 525 million euros ($531 million) to build, as “not a luxury, but a necessity.” Standing 55 meters above sea level, the Pelješac Bridge has been under construction for several years, securing significant EU funding of €357 million in 2017. It will cut travel time by 37 minutes along the Adriatic coastline, according to with the official European Website of the Union.
Access without borders
The long-awaited Peljesac Bridge has just opened in Croatia, connecting two parts of the country’s Adriatic Sea coastline while bypassing a small part of Bosnian territory. AP “The Pelješac Bridge will improve the economic development and territorial cohesion of South Dalmatia and Croatia as a whole,” Elisa Ferreira, EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, said in a statement. “This bridge is a symbol of European solidarity and support for Croatia from an economic and political point of view. It will improve the lives of citizens on the ground and become part of Croatia’s development story.” Croatia and Bosnia were once among the six republics that made up the former Yugoslavia. When Croatia became independent in 1991, two sections of Croatia’s Adriatic Sea coastline were separated by a 9 km (5.6 mi) stretch of Bosnian territory known as the Neum Corridor. China Road and Bridge Corporation won an international tender to build the bridge in 2018. The final phase, an 8-kilometer (4.9 mi) bypass near the town of Ston, near Dubrovnik, is scheduled for completion in late 2023. While the opening of the Pelješac Bridge has many joys, the project has faced criticism over the years. Bosnian officials initially said it would affect the country’s access to the sea, prompting Croatia to increase the height of the bridge, which has four lanes of traffic. The fact that a Chinese state-owned company was awarded the contract to build the structure also raised eyebrows. Top image credit: Elvis Barukcic/AFP via Getty Images
