On September 13th 2024, the grand opening of the new tunnel tube took place, while final work on the safety systems and road signs is still being carried out.
The first Učka tunnel tube was completed in 1981 and has been important in facilitating transportation. But as traffic has been increasing, especially during the peak tourist season with more than 20,000 vehicles passing on the busiest of days, it faced challenges. The new tube will not only double the capacity of the existing tunnel but also incorporate modern safety features and improved ventilation systems. The addition of this second tube is expected to significantly reduce travel time and improve overall road safety for commuters and freight transport alike.
The new Učka tunnel has 24 transverse tunnels, every 250 m, of which 12 are for pedestrians and 12 for vehicles, which makes a total of 6.5 km of tunnels and makes it, together with connecting tunnels, the longest underground excavation in Croatia. The new tunnel tube, which is 500 meters longer than the old one, represents not only a technical achievement, but a symbol of safety. A thousand tons of explosives was used, and modern techniques that were applied for the first time in Croatia, such as conveyor belts for transporting materials and liquid explosives. The new tunnel tube is also equipped with advanced key systems to ensure its functionality and safety. As many as 74 surveillance cameras will monitor traffic and conditions in the tunnel. In total, there will be 24 cross-paths between the two tunnel tubes, and three additional large crossings for emergency interventions will be built during the renovation of the old tube.
The second tube of the Učka Tunnel, along with the Kvarner rest area, was constructed as part of the 2B1-1 Subphase of the Istrian Ypsilon's full-profile construction, with a total value of approximately 200 million euros.
During the construction, many challenges were faced – from difficult geology, a large number of pits and cracks, but also global crises such as inflation and pandemics, as well as labor shortages. One of the biggest challenges of this project was to carry out the work on time, with the existing pipe under traffic, so without stopping traffic.
