Infrastructure Investments: It’s Good That Roads Are Under Maintenance Every Now and Then

Traveling through Karlovac, we have often had to wait in line in recent months due to extensive infrastructure works. Some of us who know shortcuts have managed to alleviate this, but it is undeniable that construction is taking place in that city. The city will invest nearly 100 million kuna in the reconstruction of 9.5 kilometers of roads, the construction of seven kilometers of sidewalks, and 9.5 kilometers of distribution telecommunications network (DTK), as well as the renovation and reconstruction of public lighting. They inform us that stormwater drainage is also being constructed. The works began last spring, and completion is planned by the end of 2025.

Continuation of Investments

It is dynamic in central Croatia. In the city on four rivers, they also highlight the project ‘Improvement of Water and Communal Infrastructure of the Karlovac – Duga Resa Agglomeration’ by the Karlovac Water Supply and Sewerage with the Duga Resa company Komunalno, which includes the municipality of Barilović. This project is worth over 413 million kuna, of which 68 percent is co-financed by EU funds. It involves the reconstruction/construction of a sanitary drainage system (total: reconstruction 6.9 km, construction 65 km) and water supply (total: reconstruction 28.1 km, construction 5.8 km) along with 27 pumping stations and some accompanying investments. In addition, in recent years, projects for the reconstruction of existing roads worth around 20 million kuna have been completed or are still ongoing.

– The reconstruction of roads usually involves the reconstruction/construction of sidewalks, public lighting, stormwater drainage, and DTK. In recent years, it has proven to be a good practice to simultaneously involve other interested investors who own or manage other infrastructure, such as sanitary drainage, water supply, electrical and telecommunications infrastructure, gas, etc. – they note in the Karlovac city administration.

They also highlight infrastructure projects in business zones, such as the Gornje Mekušje business zone, where from 2018 to 2020, building land was arranged and communal infrastructure was built, with an investment value of around 16 million kuna. For the Selce business zone, a location permit was obtained at the beginning of this year. Property-legal relations are now being resolved for the construction of a road planned for two-way traffic with stormwater drainage, DTK sewerage, and public lighting. Works are planned for 2025, and the estimated value of the project is eight million kuna.

– In the coming years, the City of Karlovac plans to continue investing in the renovation and construction of communal infrastructure. The realization of project documentation and works depends on the possibilities of securing financial resources in the budget of the City of Karlovac and the dynamics of resolving property-legal relations – they state.

Although they do not yet have data on the values of all projects, from what has been provided, it is clear that the total value of projects will exceed, possibly significantly, 20 million kuna.

Extraordinary and Regular Maintenance

The County Administration for Roads of Sisak-Moslavina County is also investing significant funds for extraordinary and regular maintenance of roads, they report from the local administration. This year, through co-financing from the County Administration for Roads and cities and municipalities (financing ratio 50% – 50%), extraordinary maintenance of 22 road sections totaling 44.25 kilometers has been completed, valued at 36.8 million kuna. The earthquake at the end of 2020 caused significant damage to roads and bridges and resulted in several landslides.

– To mitigate the consequences of the earthquake on traffic infrastructure, nearly 29 million kuna has been invested so far, provided by the EU Solidarity Fund and Croatian Roads. Currently, works are underway on three bridges in the areas of Petrinja, Glina, and Martinske Vesi, as well as the remediation of one landslide in the area of Petrinja and two in the municipality of Hrvatska Kostajnica. The value of the ongoing works is 18.5 million kuna. In the coming weeks, the remediation of the Svinica bridge and the reconstruction and remediation of two roads in the area of Petrinja will begin, which are also financed by FSEU funds. The expected value of the works is slightly over 13 million kuna – they list in the county administration.

They add that they expect the completion of the construction of the Zagreb – Sisak highway, which has been awaited for many years.

In Zagreb County and the capital, there are also plans. The City of Zagreb is currently addressing municipal waste collection issues, as well as those caused by the earthquake. From the county administration, they mention, for example, the project ‘Regional Water Supply System of Zagreb County – Zagreb East’ with a total value of 884 million kuna (excluding VAT), of which more than 50 percent is co-financed by the EU. The project started in 2019 and is expected to be completed in March next year. Cities in that county are also investing.

Money from Funds

For example, the people of Samobor are trying to draw as much money as possible from EU funds to renew outdated infrastructure.

– In the past 18 months, investments have been made in numerous roads, streets, branches, landslide remediation, and wastewater healing, extraordinary maintenance, and asphalting of roads or parts of roads, remediation, and reconstruction over a total length of more than five kilometers, valued at 9.9 million kuna – they report from the City of Samobor.

In addition, more than 1.5 million kuna has been allocated for the construction of a pedestrian path, asphalting of parking lots, and sidewalks. As part of this, a pedestrian bridge has been repaired, and public lighting has been built and upgraded. The long-awaited reconstruction of Wirges Street, with a length of 2.4 kilometers, has begun, and the investment is worth 18 million kuna. The investor is Croatian Roads, and the City of Samobor is investing 4.5 million kuna for the construction of a pedestrian and bicycle path along the road. Funding has also been obtained from EU funds for water supply and drainage projects – a total of eight million kuna, and investments worth 7.1 million kuna have been applied for co-financing through the EU Solidarity Fund, with realization planned by the end of May 2023.

One of them is, for example, the remediation of the collector of the public drainage system of the city of Samobor damaged in the earthquake, with a total length of 9.6 kilometers.

– Our communal company is introducing a new waste collection system in the first half of 2023: waste meters for containers of 1100 liters and semi-underground containers, so-called eco-dips, for multi-apartment buildings are being introduced. The total value of the entire system is around four million kuna, and the cost will be shared between the City of Samobor, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, and the company Komunalac – they report.

For the current EU financial period 2021 – 2027, they want to implement the ‘Project for the Development of the Drainage and Wastewater Treatment System of the Samobor Agglomeration’. The total value of the project is estimated at 400 million kuna (excluding VAT).

In Zaprešić, they are also not sitting idly. The largest infrastructure project in the city’s history is underway, as well as one of the largest water supply and drainage projects in Croatia, worth 684 million kuna (including VAT), aimed at increasing the connection of the population to public sewer systems (13,267 additional residents), enabling wastewater treatment, ensuring more rational water use, and contributing to the preservation of human health, protection of drinking water sources, and ultimately, the protection of water resources and the environment. Non-repayable EU funds from the Cohesion Fund have been secured for as much as 70.88 percent of eligible costs, with the remainder co-financed by Croatian Waters, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy, the City of Zaprešić, and surrounding municipalities. The planned completion of the project is December 31, 2023.

Croatian Roads plan to complete the southern bypass, the state road Zaprešić – Prigorje Brdovečko, with a length of 6.42 kilometers, which will shorten the journey to Zagreb and improve the connection of that part of Zagreb County with Slovenia.

– The continuation of the construction of the Obrubići – Šibice section is ahead. Croatian Roads have conducted a preliminary consultation process, and public procurement and contractor selection are expected to be completed by the end of the year. The estimated value of this section is around 40 million kuna, and the start of works is anticipated in spring, with a construction deadline of nine months – they report from the Zaprešić city administration.

This is just, we could say, a summary of investments. There are more, and we hope they will be successfully completed without major administrative obstacles.