Korčula’s mega project promises traffic relief and enhanced connectivity

Korčula

The Croatian island of Korčula is currently witnessing the realisation of its largest infrastructure project in history. 

A new port, Polačište, worth over 25 million euros, is under construction, aiming to address part of the island’s traffic issues, HRT reports.

With the recent opening of the Pelješac Bridge, especially during the peak tourist season, there is significant traffic pressure on Pelješac, and consequently on the island of Korčula. 

Vehicles arriving at and departing from the ferry face difficulties navigating through the narrow streets of Orebić, and the ferries themselves are often overcrowded. Hence, the new port of Polačište is one of the most anticipated projects on the island.

As part of this initiative, the port in Perna will be upgraded, and a bypass road to relieve traffic in Orebić is also planned, with work on these projects expected to start in the autumn.

Simultaneously, on the other side of the island in Vela Luka, a new port is scheduled to open in a few months, where the construction is near completion. However, the main port for passenger reception will remain in Polačište. 

The new ferry line promises faster and more efficient transportation, with a travel time of only seven minutes, acting as a kind of bridge between destinations. The completion of the new port is announced for October next year, reports HRT.

“With the construction of the new port, we are confident that it will be ready to handle all the traffic jams that occurred at unexpected moments, including the capacity for vehicles,” said Ante Tvrdeić, the director of the County Port Authority of Korčula. 

“Numerous problems will be left behind. The assumption behind this is the construction of the new port, the access road to the state road on Korčula, as well as the construction of Perna and the bypass road in Orebić,” emphasized Branko Bačić, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Spatial Planning, Construction, and State Property.

The total value of the project “New Port of Korčula – Polačiste Port” is just over 25 million euros, of which the European Union co-financed the project from the Cohesion Fund in the amount of just over 20 million euros. The rest is financed from the Croatian state budget.