Today's redirection of traffic from the former regional road to the first half of the new 3 kilometres long highway is only the first stage, as the entire length of 7 kilometres of this stage will be completed within two months, and both roadways of the highway should be finished by November of the next year. "The redirection of traffic means that the present main road can be abolished, and we will be able to construct the second half of the highway," the project director Bogdan Vrezner explainedat the ceremony in Podlehnik.
From now on it will be possible to drive from Draženci to Jurovci on one half of the highway; the highway will be open for two-way traffic. "The traffic will continue as until now on the main road, and under the traffic regime during road construction. It means the speed limit of 50 km per hour, and the road surface markings are temporary; the purpose of the lines is to narrow the carriageway and thus force drivers to respect speed limits," Vrezner continued.
By November of the next year
Matej Kavnik, the supervisory engineer of the first stage of construction of the highway, explained that already in November the same regime will be introduced for the seven kilometres of the first stage. "Today the traffic is redirected only at the first section, the three kilometres of the new highway, while the next four kilometres should be completed by the end of November. We are doing our best to meet this deadline, and at the moment we don't expect any problems which might prevent us from reaching that goal," Kavnik continued. He also explained that the second half of the highway as a part of the first stage should be completed by November of the next year.
Simultaneously the second stage from Podlehnik towards Gruškovje border crossing is being constructed as well. According to Dars, the construction of his section is continuing without any problems, and should be completed by the end of 2018, when the highway will be finished and put into use.
Danijel Poslek, Radio Slovenija
Translated by G. K.
