"This bypass is worth more than €20 million and connects Omiš with the road to Split and Trogir and will contribute to reducing traffic jams in the Omis area," Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković said. He added that a public tender would be advertised next week for the construction of a 4.5-kilometre road towards Dugi Rat,, with an estimated value of €80 million.
CEO of the Croatian Roads Authority (HC), Josip Škorić, underscored the exceptional importance of the bypass that will relieve traffic in Omiš.
"Omiš is overburdened with traffic with 19,000 vehicles passing through the city every day in the summer months, and there are also a large number of pedestrians. The new bypass will contribute to solving these traffic problems," said Škorić, adding that the bypass is also important due in relation to the city port to be constructed in Omiš.
Tugare residents protest
A group of residents of Tugare, a settlement in the hinterland of Omiš, protested today under the newly built bridge, which is part of the bypass because they fear for traffic safety in the village due to the increased traffic.
"For six years, they have been promising us that the road in Tugare will be widened, but this has not happened, so the safety of citizens is at risk because the road is too narrow to cater for the increased traffic," Tugare Mayor Matko Novaković said.
Minister Butković told reporters that he had spoken with the residents of Tugare and that the government would financially help the Road Administration to reconstruct the road through Tugare.
Split-Dalmatia County Prefect Blaženko Boban apologised to Tugare residents for the delay in resolving property-legal relations that have hampered the reconstruction and expansion of the road through the village.