The entire 146.5-kilometre Rijeka-Zagreb motorway was officially upgraded to full dual-carriageway standards on Wednesday when its last two sections were opened to traffic after being converted to full motorway standards.
Present at the inauguration ceremony at the Tuhobić Tunnel was Prime Minister Ivo Sanader who recalled that construction works on this route had began 38 years.
According to some estimates works on the motorway linking the largest Croatian seaport with the capital have cost more than EUR 661.5 million.
Now, driving from Rijeka to Zagreb will take one hour and some 15 minutes.
As of 1 November, the motorway toll for this route will be HRK 60.
Prime Minister Sanader stated that this was the realization of a dream for the citizens of Croatia which could not be achieved during the period of Yugoslavian rule. Croatia was not a priority in those times and could not lead independent politics as far as economics or any other aspect of life was concerned.