Highways in Croatia
Highways in Croatia are the main transport network in Croatia.
The Croatian classification includes several classes of highways:
- The main motorways are named A accompanied by one or two digits. By and large they are toll highways with a ticket system.
- Expressways are limited-access roads with grade-separated intersections and by and large an increased speed limit without tolling. They are similar to motorways, but aren't always dual carriageway, they have no emergency lanes, and their speed limit is always lower. They either have standalone designations or are parts of major state routes, see below.
- Roads dedicated for motor vehicles, which is a category for highways which are limited-access roads, usually similar to multiple-lane motorways/expressways, but which may have slow intersections. It has no specific naming convention, only a dedicated traffic sign, and it mainly includes major state routes or portions thereof, see below. An example is the Jadranska Avenue in Zagreb, designated as Ž1040 county road.
- [|State roads], which are marked by letter D and a single, double or triple digit number.
- County roads always are marked by letter Ž and a four digit number.
- The lowest classification comprises local roads, marked by letter L and a five digit number.
Motorways
The primary high-speed motorways are called autoceste, and they are defined as roads with at least three lanes in each direction and a speed limit of not less than. They are marked with a special road sign, similar to the road sign depicting a motorway/autoroute/autobahn in other parts of Europe.. The Croatian motorway network is long.in 2015-2018 and 1,306.5 km in 2019/2020..
Motorways in Croatia are defined by the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure. The same applies to names of the motorway interchanges and rest areas.
History
A major reason for the motorway construction "mania" of the 2000s is a previous political halt of the major Croatian highway project, today's A1, in the 1970s and 1980s under former Yugoslavia. When Croatia declared independence in 1991, the only true motorways in the country were Zagreb-Karlovac and Zagreb-Slavonski Brod, the latter being part of the highway "Bratstvo i jedinstvo". The dream to connect the two largest Croatian cities Zagreb and Split with a motorway went back to the times of the Croatian Spring. However, the construction of this project had not happened during Yugoslav period.In 2005, the Zagreb-Split route was constructed. In addition, the A1 was extended towards Dubrovnik, and the A3 was extended so it connects Zagreb to Croatian borders with both Serbia and Slovenia. There is also a motorway from Zagreb to Rijeka, the A6, as well as the A4 motorway from Zagreb to the northeast as well as the A2 motorway from Zagreb to the northwest. The A9 between Pula and the Slovenian border is also largely completed.
The construction of additional motorways has noticeably slowed in the 2010s, but it continues., the A8-Kanfanar-Rijeka, the remaining part of the Istrian Y-is being upgraded from semi-highway status. The other motorways are in various early stages of development, coming up to a total of 11 motorway routes. The A1 is considered unfinished as it is planned to be extended from Ploče to Dubrovnik, but the status is unclear because of the Neum enclave of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Operators
The network is managed by 4 operators..Motorways and sections
List of motorways
| Motorway | Route | Length | Description | Notes |
| A1 | Zagreb - Bosiljevo - Split - Dubrovnik | The A1 starts in Lučko interchange, a part of Zagreb bypass where the A3 motorway junction is found. The motorway proceeds south from Zagreb to Karlovac and further on to Bosiljevo 2 interchange where the A6 motorway branches off towards Rijeka. The route continues south to Gospić, Zadar, Šibenik, Split. The southernmost sector of the motorway proceeds from Split to Ploče and Metković. | Section between Ploče and Dubrovnik is planned | |
| A2 | Zagreb - Macelj | The A2 starts on the border of Slovenia near Macelj. The motorway passes west of Krapina and proceeds south towards Zagreb. The southernmost section of the motorway forms a part of Zagreb bypass and it terminates in Jankomir interchange with the A3 motorway. | ||
| A3 | Bregana - Zagreb - Lipovac | The A3 starts on the border of Slovenia near Bregana. The motorway passes north of Samobor and proceeds west towards Zagreb, passing to the south of the city and forming a part of Zagreb bypass, where the route contains junctions with the A2, A1 and A4 motorways. It continues east to Kutina, Slavonski Brod, Sredanci interchange with the A5 motorway and further east to Županja and terminating on the border of Serbia near Lipovac | ||
| A4 | Zagreb - Goričan | The A4 starts on the border of Hungary near Goričan. The motorway passes near Čakovec and Varaždin south towards Zagreb and the southernmost part of the route is a part of Zagreb bypass, where the motorway terminates in Ivanja Reka interchange, where the traffic defaults to the westbound A3 motorway. | ||
| A5 | Beli Manastir - Osijek - Svilaj | The A5 starts near Osijek and proceeds south bypassing Đakovo to Zoljani interchange near the A3 motorway. | Section north of Osijek is under construction | |
| A6 | Bosiljevo - Orehovica | The A6 starts in Bosiljevo 2 interchange, branching off from the A1 motorway and proceeds west bypassing Delnice to Rijeka and Orehovica interchange with the A7 motorway. | ||
| A7 | Rupa - Rijeka - Križišće | The A7 starts at the border of Slovenia and heads south to Rijeka, passes the city as Rijeka bypass. The Rijeka bypass section comprises an interchange with the A6 motorway and proceeds east terminating near Šmrika where the traffic defaults to the D8 state road. | Section north and east of Rijeka is planned. | |
| A8 | Istarski Y | The A8 spans between Kanfanar and Matulji, i.e. the A9 and A7 motorways. As of November 2011, the Kanfanar-Rogovići section is brought to the motorway standards, and the rest is a limited access two-lane route. | ||
| A9 | Istarski Y | The A9 starts near Umag and the Slovenian border, meets the A8 motorway at Kanfanar interchange, and proceeds south to Pula, forming the western arm of Istrian Y. | ||
| A10 | Bosnia border - Ploče interchange | The A10 starts at Bosnian border, where it connects to A1 motorway in Bosnia and runs to the Ploče interchange, where it connects to A1 motorway. | ||
| A11 | Zagreb - Sisak | The A11 starts at Jakuševec interchange and runs south to Lekenik interchange. It was connected to A3 in November 2015. It is finished to Lekenik. | Remaining section between Lekenik and Sisak is planned |
Motorway sections under construction
| Motorway | County | Length | Section | Description | Scheduled completion |
| A5 | Osijek-Baranja | Beli Manastir - Drava Bridge | Construction has begun on the road overpasses. | Late 2020 | |
| A5 | Osijek-Baranja | Drava Bridge-Osijek | Subsection completed in August 2018. To be opened with neighboring subsection. | Late 2020 | |
| A5 | Brod-Posavina | Sava Bridge | This is a border bridge near Svilaj between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Construction started in September 2016. | December 2019 | |
| A8 | Istria | Rogovići - Cerovlje | Works on upgrade of the existing two lane expressway to four lane motorway started in November 2018 | December 2020 | |
| A8 | Istria | Cerovlje - Vranja | Works on upgrade of the existing two lane expressway to four lane motorway started in November 2018 | December 2021 |
Planned motorway sections
Traffic cost revenue and accidents
In 2018, the network had a traffic of 82.605.511 vehicles, including 72.996.584 light vehicles and 9.608.927 heavy vehicles.The travel cost is near 7 euros per 100 km for light vehicles and 30 euros per 100 km for heavy ones.
Those costs generate a revenue of 383.036.824 euros i 2017 and 406.154.835 in 2018.
Two third of motorway fatalities occurred in the third of the year between July and October.
Expressways
There is a wide variety of types of expressways in Croatia, in terms of number of lanes, accessibility and types of intersections comprised. They range from four lane expressways with grade-separated intersections and limited access - distinguished from the motorways by lack of emergency lanes only - to four or six lane urban expressways with numerous at-grade intersections and traffic lights or two lane limited access roads with grade separated intersections. The expressways include both incomplete motorways, built in stages, and some state roads. There are even some instances of county roads which may be regarded expressways such as Jadranska Avenue.As a rule, the expressways are not tolled, however major tunnels on the expressways are tolled.
List of completed expressways
| Number | Control cities ' |
| D1 | sections through Karlovac ' |
| D1 | Dugopolje interchange - Split ' |
| D2 | Osijek southern bypass ' |
| D8 | sections through and near Split ' |
| D10 | Sveta Helena interchange - Križevci ' |
| D12 | Vrbovec 2 interchange - Farkaševac ' |
| D14 | Zabok interchange – Zlatar Bistrica ' |
| D33 | Šibenik interchange - Šibenik ' |
| D76 | Zagvozd - Baška voda |
| D220 | Bisko interchange - Čaporice |
| D404 | Draga interchange - Rijeka ' |
| D424 | Zadar 2 interchange - Zadar ' |
| D425 | Karamatići toll station - Ploče ' |
| D522 | Gornja Ploča interchange - Udbina |
State roads
State roads are defined by legislation as important routes for road traffic between various parts of the country. Classification of a road as a state road does not describe actual conditions of the road itself.State roads in Croatia are assigned one, two or three digit numbers which generally comply with the following pattern :
- 1-19 are assigned to trunk roads, normally of considerable length, spanning between borders of various neighboring countries. An obvious exception to this is the D9 state road however it spans from Bosnia and Herzegovina border and the Adriatic Sea, along the southernmost portion of Pan-European Corridor Vc.
- 20-99 are assigned to arterial roads on the mainland.
- 100s are assigned to island roads
- 200s are assigned to border crossing access roads.
- 300s are assigned to junction roads, connecting towns or cities to motorways or other major roads. Notable exceptions to this are D307 and D310 state roads, although the D307 originally did not connect to the D29, but only to the A2 motorway.
- 400s are assigned to mainland port and airport access roads.
- 500s are assigned to connecting roads, connecting two different state roads. Notable exceptions to this rule are the D503 which connects to a port and the D516 which connects to a border crossing checkpoint.
D1 - D14
| Number | Control cities ' | Length |
| D1 | Macelj border checkpoint - Krapina - Zagreb - Karlovac - Gračac - Knin - Brnaze - Split | 421.2 km |
| D2 | Dubrava Križovljanska border checkpoint - Varaždin - Koprivnica - Virovitica - Našice - Osijek - Vukovar - Ilok border checkpoint | 347.9 km |
| D3 | Goričan border checkpoint - Čakovec - Varaždin - Zagreb - Karlovac - Rijeka | 218.4 km |
| D5 | Terezino Polje border checkpoint - Virovitica - Veliki Zdenci - Daruvar - Okučani - Stara Gradiška border checkpoint | 123.1 km |
| D6 | Jurovski Brod border checkpoint - Ribnik - Karlovac - Brezova Glava - Vojnić - Glina - Dvor - Bosnian border | 134.5 km |
| D7 | Duboševica border checkpoint - Beli Manastir - Osijek - Đakovo - Slavonski Šamac border checkpoint | 115.2 km |
| D8 | Pasjak border checkpoint - Šapjane - Rijeka - Zadar - Split - Klek border checkpoint - - Zaton Doli border checkpoint - Dubrovnik - Karasovići border checkpoint | 643.8 km |
| D9 | Metković border checkpoint - Opuzen - | 10.9 km |
| D10 | Sveta Helena interchange - Dubrava - Gradec - Križevci - Koprivnica - Gola border checkpoint | 86,4 km |
| D12 | Vrbovec 2 interchange - Bjelovar - Virovitica - Terezino Polje | 86,5 km |
| D14''' | Mokrice interchange – Bedekovčina | 9.6 km |
D20 - D77
| Number | Control cities ' | Length |
| D20 | Čakovec – Prelog – Donja Dubrava – Đelekovec – Koprivnica | 50.4 km |
| D22 | D3 - Novi Marof – Križevci – Sveti Ivan Žabno | 42.7 km |
| D23 | Duga Resa – Josipdol – Žuta Lokva – Senj | 103,9 km |
| D24 | Zabok – Zlatar Bistrica – Donja Konjšćina – Budinšćina – Novi Marof – Varaždinske Toplice – Poljanec | 72.4 km |
| D25 | Korenica – Bunić – Lički Osik – Gospić – Karlobag | 83.6 km |
| D26 | Dubrava - Čazma - Garešnica - Dežanovac - Daruvar | 88.5 km |
| D27 | Gračac - Obrovac - Benkovac - Stankovci - D8 | 96,9 km |
| D28 | Gradec - Bjelovar - Veliki Zdenci | 70,7 km |
| D29 | Novi Golubovec - Zlatar Bistrica - Marija Bistrica - Soblinec | 49.8 km |
| D30 | Buzin interchange - Velika Gorica - Petrinja - Hrvatska Kostajnica border checkpoint | 83.1 km |
| D31 | Velika Gorica - Gornji Viduševac - D6 | 56.1 km |
| D32 | Prezid border checkpoint - Delnice | 49.7 km |
| D33 | Strmica border checkpoint - Knin - Drniš - Vidici | 73.3 km |
| D34 | Slatina - Donji Miholjac - Josipovac | 79.0 km |
| D35 | Varaždin - Lepoglava - Sveti Križ Začretje | 46.0 km |
| D36 | Karlovac - Pokupsko - Sisak - Popovača | 110.5 km |
| D37 | Sisak - Petrinja - Glina | 34.4 km |
| D38 | Pakrac - Požega - Pleternica - Đakovo | 120.7 km |
| D39 | Bosnian Border - Aržano - Cista Provo - Šestanovac roundabout - Dubci | 37.3 km |
| D40 | Sveti Kuzam interchange - D8 - Port of Bakar | 3.1 km |
| D41 | Gola border checkpoint - Koprivnica - Križevci | 82.9 km |
| D42 | Vrbovsko - Ogulin - Josipdol - Plaški - Grabovac | 57.9 km |
| D43 | Đurđevac - Bjelovar - Čazma - Ivanić Grad interchange | 78.1 km |
| D44 | Nova Vas interchange - Ponte Porton - Buzet - Lupoglav interchange | 50.5 km |
| D45 | Veliki Zdenci - - Garešnica - Kutina interchange A3 | 43.6 km |
| D46 | Đakovo D7 -Vinkovci - Tovarnik border checkpoint | 73,0 km |
| D47 | Lipik - Novska - Hrvatska Dubica - Hrvatska Kostajnica - Dvor | 94.5 km |
| D48 | Baderna interchange - Pazin - Rogovići interchange | 20.8 km |
| D49 | Pleternica - Lužani interchange | 19.2 km |
| D50 | Žuta Lokva - Otočac - Gospić - Gračac | 104.2 km |
| D51 | Gradište - Požega - Nova Gradiška interchange | 50.3 km |
| D52 | Špilnik - Korenica | 41.1 km |
| D53 | Donji Miholjac border checkpoint - Našice - Slavonski Brod border checkpoint | 91.6 km |
| D54 | Maslenica - Zaton Obrovački D27 | 13.5 km |
| D55 | Borovo - Vinkovci - Županja border checkpoint | 48.6 km |
| D56 | Tromilja interchange – Benkovac – Skradin – Drniš – Muć – Klis–Grlo interchange | 119.6 km |
| D57 | Vukovar - Orolik - Nijemci - Lipovac interchange A3 | 36.1 km |
| D58 | Šibenik - Boraja - Trogir | 43.0 km |
| D59 | Knin - Kistanje - Bribirske Mostine - Putičanje - Kapela | 53.9 km |
| D60 | Brnaze - Trilj - Cista Provo - Imotski - Vinjani Donji border checkpoint | 66.1 km |
| D62 | Šestanovac - Zagvozd - Vrgorac - Kula Norinska - Metković | 89.5 km |
| D64 | Pazin - Potpićan - Vozilići | 26.9 km |
| D66 | Pula - Labin - Opatija - Matulji | 90.1 km |
| D69 | Slatina - Čeralije - Voćin - Novo Zvečevo - Kamenska | 53.4 km |
| D70 | Omiš - Naklice - Gata - Blato na Cetini interchange | 21.6 km |
| D72 | Slavonski Brod: D53 - Svačićeva - I. G. Kovačića - N. Zrinskog | 2.7 km |
| D74 | Đurmanec - Krapina - Bednja - Lepoglava | 22.0 km |
| D75 | D200 - Savudrija - Umag - Novigrad - Poreč - Vrsar - Vrh Lima - Bale - Pula | 101.7 km |
| D76 | Baško Polje – Zagvozd – Grubine – Imotski – Gornji Vinjani border checkpoint | 28.3 km |
| D77''' | Rogovići interchange – Žminj – Svetvinčenat – Vodnjan | 33.2 km |
D100 - D128
| Number | Control cities ' | Length |
| D100 | Porozina - Cres - Mali Lošinj | 80.5 km |
| D101 | D100 - Merag | 10.9 km |
| D102 | Šmrika - Krk - Baška | 48.3 km |
| D103 | D102 - Rijeka Airport | 1.7 km |
| D104 | D102- Valbiska | 10.1 km |
| D105 | Lopar - Rab - Mišnjak | 22.7 km |
| D106 | Žigljen - Novalja - Pag - Ražanac - Posedarje | 73.8 km |
| D109 | Veli Rat - Savar - Sali | 41.9 km |
| D110 | Muline - Ugljan - Tkon | 41.6 km |
| D111 | Maslinica - Grohote - Stomorska | 17.8 km |
| D112 | Rogač - D111 | 1.9 km |
| D113 | Supetar - Nerežišće - Sumartin | 39.4 km |
| D114 | Milna - Sutivan - Supetar | 18.8 km |
| D115 | Gornji Humac - Bol | 11.4 km |
| D116 | Hvar - Milna - Starigrad - Sućuraj | 77.8 km |
| D117 | Komiža - Podhum - Vis | 19.9 km |
| D118 | Vela Luka - Kapja - Dubovo - Korčula | 43.5 km |
| D119 | Ubli - Lastovo | 9.5 km |
| D120 | Pomena - Polače - Sobra - Saplunara | 42.9 km |
| D121 | Murter - Tisno - D8 | 14.0 km |
| D123 | Sobra - D120 | 1.1 km |
| D124 | Brbinj - Brbinj - D109 | 1.7 km |
| D125 | Zaglav - D109 | 1.1 km |
| D126 | Trogir - Arbanija - Slatine | 8.3 km |
| D128''' | Uvala Mikavica - Žirje | 3.8 km |
Tolls
Tolls are charged on seven stretches of Croatian motorways, along with some other roads.There are two toll collection systems in Croatia: the open and the closed system. Open system is used on some bridges and tunnels and short stretches of tolled highway. In this system, there is only one toll plaza and drivers immediately pay the toll upon arriving.