(CNN)- Celebrations have been held in Croatia to mark the opening of a long-awaited bridge that bypasses a narrow strip of Bosnia’s coastline to connect the southern Adriatic region with the rest of the country.
Co-financed by the European Union, the Peljesac Bridge, which was formally opened on Tuesday, spans between Komarna on the mainland and Brijesta on the Peljesac peninsula, providing easy access to the popular tourist spot of Dubrovnik.
The launch of the 2.4-kilometre (1.5-mile) cable-stayed structure is being hailed as a historic moment for the country, with hundreds of people turning out to be the first to cross on foot when the bridge opened to pedestrians and then motorists.
Until now, both residents and tourists had to pass through Bosnia-Herzegovina to travel 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 them in the Adriatic. region feeling isolated.
borderless access
The long-awaited Peljesac Bridge has just opened in Croatia, connecting two parts of the country’s Adriatic Sea coast and bypassing a small section of Bosnian territory.
access point
“This bridge is a symbol of European solidarity and support for Croatia in financial and political terms. It will improve the lives of citizens on the ground and will be part of the history of Croatia’s development.”
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 coast were divided by a 9-kilometre (5.6 mi) stretch of Bosnian territory known as the Neum Corridor.
China Road and Bridge Corporation won an international bid to build the bridge in 2018.
The final phase, an 8-kilometre-long (4.9 mi) bypass near the town of Ston near Dubrovnik, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023.
While the opening of the Pelješac Bridge has many rejoicings, the project has faced criticism over the years.
Bosnian officials initially declared that 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 came as a surprise.
Top Image Credit: Elvis Barukcic/AFP via Getty Images
