Zagreb's Sarajevska Road Nears Completion Amidst Infrastructure Overhaul

Zagreb is on the cusp of opening its newly reconstructed and expanded Sarajevska Road, a project decades in the making that will bring a vital new tram line and roadway to thousands of residents in the city's southern districts. The new McDonald's is already under construction, signaling the area's transformation.

Project manager Vinko Tomić described the extensive underground infrastructure work, including sewage, water, heating, and electrical systems, as largely unseen but crucial. "More than 95 percent is finished, a big job that 95 percent of people don't even see," Tomić stated. Remaining tasks include completing the western carriageway, installing traffic lights, and final landscaping. The city aims to open the road with six traffic lanes and two tram tracks by September.

However, the full realization of the project faces a significant delay. The second phase, managed by Hrvatske autoceste (HAC), involves constructing a flyover over the railway yard and connecting Sarajevska Road to the Zagreb bypass. This part of the project, awarded to Chinese company CRBC only last November, is not expected to be completed until May 2028. This means the new entrance to the city will likely not be fully operational until the summer or fall of 2028, necessitating a temporary tram turnaround in the interim.

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More than 95 percent is finished, a big job that 95 percent of people don't even see. I'm talking about infrastructure, and that includes sewage, water, heating, public lighting, telecommunication cables, traffic light installations, electro-energy infrastructure, horizontal and vertical signaling...