Both tubes of the Učka Tunnel open to traffic from today

After a complete renovation worth 25 million euros, the old tube of the Učka Tunnel will be opened to traffic today, which will significantly speed up travel to and from Istria. 

The launch will be symbolically held on the day of the celebration Istrian County Day and the September decisions on the annexation of Istria to mother Croatia. The ceremonial session in Pazin is also attended by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković with associates who will also participate in the ceremony of opening the renovated Učka Tunnel to traffic.

The reconstruction of the old tube of the Učka Tunnel, 40 years after its construction, was one of the the most complex infrastructure projects on the Istrian Y, point out Bino Istra, the concessionaire of the Istrian Y.

The reconstruction and modernization included better ventilation, new lighting, fire protection, surveillance and communication systems, and the creation of new evacuation exits.

The construction site was opened in October last year, and the value of the works is 25 million eurosAs a reminder, the works were opened a few weeks after the new tunnel tube was opened to traffic in September last year. 

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As part of the reconstruction, extensive construction work was carried out, as well as the replacement and upgrading of equipment, with the technical director of Bina Istra Christian Santaleza highlights the construction of a footing arch that was not built during the construction of the old pipe, the complete reconstruction of the drainage system and pipeline, which is particularly sensitive because the entire Liburnia region is supplied with water from the cavern and any penetration of grease or dirt into the watercourse must be prevented.

In the tunnel itself there is source of drinking water which supplies Liburnia, so the works were carried out to ensure that the immediate drinking water catchment/abstraction zone was protected from negative impacts from the construction site throughout the entire construction period, with regular water sampling.

With the reconstruction of the roadway, the modernization of lighting, new traffic signals, and the upgrade of the ventilation system, it is clear that there was a lot of work and that it was very demanding.

With the completion of the second tube and the reconstruction of the first tube, the Učka Tunnel will be fully compliant with the safety regulations of the EU directive that defines technical requirements for road tunnels.

"We have also built a new data center and a state-of-the-art control room, and upon completion of the work on the old pipe, we will have the most modern tunnel in Europe. It goes without saying that around five million guests come to Istria, of which around 95 percent come by car.", they point out in Bina Istria.

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Two pipes connected by passages for cars and pedestrians

As part of the project to build the second tube and renovate the existing tube of the Učka Tunnel, a total of 24 cross passages which connect tunnel tubes, i.e. represent evacuation routes.

Likewise, both tunnel tubes will ultimately be equipped with state-of-the-art video surveillance and sensor systems, which further improves the high standard of security.

At Bina Istria, they point out that they are working at the same time two viaducts on the Istrian Y. These are the Mirna and Limska Draga viaducts. The cost of work on both viaducts is 100 million euros. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

The last section from the Učka tunnel to the Matulji junction, 10 kilometers long, should be completed within that period. The cost of the work is 101 million euros. The work is ongoing and is very demanding, considering that it is being carried out under traffic.

With the implementation of this important project, along with the construction of the full profile of the motorway from the tunnel to the Matulji interchange, the Istrian Y will be full highway profile, with four lanes and the Učka tunnel with two tubes, will be connected to the motorway network managed by HAC in 2027, i.e. with the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and the rest of the Republic of Croatia, reports iPress.

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