A7 (Croatia) - Route Description

Route Description

The A7 motorway is an important north–south motorway in western Croatia, connecting the nation's largest port and the city of Rijeka to the Slovenian road network at the Rupa border crossing. The A7 motorway currently connects to the rest of the Croatian motorway network via the A6 motorway in Orehovica interchange. The motorway is a part of International E-road network routes E65 and E61. The sections south of Orehovica interchange are a part of the E65, while the remaining sections are a part of the E61.

The motorway is of major importance to Croatia in terms of its development of the economy of Croatia, most notably in tourism, as it represents the shortest and the most convenient route between Trieste, Italy or Ljubljana, Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea. This particularly applies to tourist resorts in the Kvarner Gulf area and to the Port of Rijeka, but it is also true for resorts in Istria, served via the A8 expressway. The genuine importance of the motorway as a transit route will be demonstrated upon completion of the A7 route to Žuta Lokva interchange of the A1 motorway and proposed expansion of the Port of Rijeka and Rijeka transport node. The former is planned as a part of completion of the Adriatic–Ionian motorway, while the latter is planned to encompass the growth of the Port of Rijeka's cargo handling capacity, improved railroad links and a new Rijeka bypass motorway linking the A7, via a number of new interchanges, to the A6 and A8 motorways. The project is, among other goals, aiming to increase traffic along the Croatian part of Pan-European corridor Vb, which connects to the A7 near Rijeka.

As of November 2010, the motorway spans 34.4 kilometres (21.4 mi) between the Rupa border crossing to Slovenia and Sveti Kuzam interchange where southbound A7 traffic defaults to the D40 state road. It connects to Rijeka as it forms Rijeka bypass, the A8 expressway of the Istrian Y and the A6 which represents motorway connection to Zagreb and Split. Future development of the motorway will include southward extensions of the motorway towards Crikvenica, Novi Vinodolski, Senj, and ultimately Žuta Lokva interchange on the A1 motorway. The A7 motorway consists of two traffic lanes and an emergency lane in each driving direction along its entire length, except in tunnels where there are emergency bays rather than lanes. All existing interchanges are trumpet interchanges. There are two rest areas along the motorway, providing various types of services ranging from parking spaces and restrooms to filling stations and restaurants. As of October 2010, the motorway has 10 interchanges, providing access to a number of towns and cities and to the Croatian state road network. The motorway is operated by Autocesta Rijeka – Zagreb.

An automatic traffic monitoring and guidance system is in place along the motorway. It consists of measuring, control, and signaling devices, located in zones where driving conditions may vary—at interchanges, near viaducts, beside bridges, in tunnels, and in zones where fog and strong winds are known to occur. The system consists of variable trafic signs used to communicate changing driving conditions, possible restrictions, and other information to motorway users.

The A7 motorway runs through hills, rugged coastal terrain, and urban areas, requiring a substantial number of bridges, viaducts, and tunnels along the route. Particular attention to the environment is also required since the route is situated in karst topography, which is particularly susceptible to water pollution, and the urbanized areas requiring special attention to be paid to noise pollution. Noise pollution was assessed as especially severe in the Rastočine neighborhood of Rijeka, where residential buildings are particularly close to the motorway route, most notably a 26 story high-rise only 40 metres (130 ft) away from the route. The noise pollution was addressed by building a noise barrier 352 metres (1,155 ft) long which largely encloses that motorway section like a tunnel. Curved overhead sections of the noise barrier are covered with 2,300 square metres (25,000 sq ft) of solar panels with annual electricity production capacity of 248,000 kWh.