The decision to construct a 2 kilometre long Markovec tunnel at the Slovenian coast was made back in the 80s of the previous century, but the zoning plans for the project of the expressway Koper-Izola, a part of which is the tunnel below the hill Markovec, were adopted only in 2004.
For the new section of the expressway Koper-Izola through the Markovec tunnel to the junction with the existing Izola beltway vignettes are required; the coastal road between Koper and Izola has been transferred into the management of the local communities at Thursday government session, thus fulfilling the condition set by the mayors of the coastal municipalities.
Local traffic over the Markovec hill
The local inhabitants are rather worried that the traffic through the densely populated Markovec settlement will increase due to vehicles without vignettes avoiding the expressway. The Koper municipality has no intention of subjecting the inhabitants of Markovec to increased traffic, assures the mayor's advisor Gašpar Gašpar Mišič.
Thus Izola and Koper took possession of the coastal road connecting the two towns, and they plan to shut it down eventually. The Markovec tunnel will not solve the traffic congestions at the coast; that will be possible only with completion of the expressway towards Lucija and connection of Kor with the Dragonja border crossing, directing the transit traffic towards Croatia.