Highways in Croatia
Highways in Croatia are the main transport network in Croatia.
The Croatian classification includes several categories of highways:
- The main motorway routes are prefixed with an A (for autocesta) followed by one or two digits. They are controlled-access highways with tolls using a ticket system.
- Expressways (brza cesta) are toll-free limited-access highways with grade-separated intersections and fast speed limits. They are similar to the motorways, but are not always dual carriageways and may have no emergency lanes. Their speed limit is always lower than that of the motorways. They either have standalone designations or are parts of non-motorway state routes, such as the D prefixed highways described further below.
- Roads dedicated for motor vehicles, which is another category of limited-access highways. They usually have multiple lanes and separated carriageways but may have at-grade intersections. This class of roads has no specific numbering convention, only a dedicated traffic sign. State routes or portions thereof may be designated in this manner. An example is Jadranska Avenue in Zagreb, designated as Ž1040, a county road.
- State roads, which are marked by letter D and a single, double or triple digit number.
- County roads always are marked by letter Ž and a four digit number.
- The lowest classification comprises local roads, marked by letter L and a five digit number.
Motorways
The primary high-speed motorways are called autoceste, and they are defined as roads with at least three lanes in each direction and a speed limit of not less than. They are marked with a special road sign, similar to the road sign depicting a motorway/autoroute/autobahn in other parts of Europe. The Croatian motorway network is long.Motorways in Croatia are defined by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure. The same applies to names of the motorway interchanges and rest areas.
History
A major reason for the motorway construction "mania" of the 2000s is a previous political halt of the major Croatian highway project, today's A1, in the 1970s and 1980s under former Yugoslavia. When Croatia declared independence in 1991, the only true motorways in the country were Rijeka-Kikovica, Zagreb-Karlovac and Zagreb-Slavonski Brod, the latter being part of the Brotherhood and Unity Highway. The dream to connect the two largest Croatian cities Zagreb and Split with a motorway went back to the times of the Croatian Spring, but construction of this project was never realized in the Yugoslav period.In 2005, the Zagreb–Split route was constructed. In addition, the A1 was extended towards Dubrovnik, and the A3 was extended so it connects Zagreb to Croatian borders with both Serbia and Slovenia. There is also a motorway from Zagreb to Rijeka, the A6, as well as the A4 motorway from Zagreb to the northeast as well as the A2 motorway from Zagreb to the northwest. The A9 between Pula and the Slovenian border is also largely completed.
The construction of additional motorways has noticeably slowed in the 2010s, but it continues., the Cerovlje-Rijeka section of A8, the remaining part of the Istrian Y, is being upgraded from semi-highway status. The other motorways are in various early stages of development, coming up to a total of 11 motorway routes. The A1 is considered unfinished as it is planned to be extended from Ploče to Dubrovnik.
Operators
The network is managed by 3 operators, of which one is under full government control and other two are operated by joint ventures.| Operator | Ownership | Motorway | Length | Notes |
| BINA Istra | BINA Fincom Bouygues Hrvatske autoceste Istarska autocesta | A8, A9 | Under concession until 2041. | |
| Autocesta Zagreb – Macelj | Pyhrn Concession Holding GmbH Republic of Croatia | A2 | Under concession until 2032. | |
| Hrvatske autoceste | Republic of Croatia | A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A10, A11, Krk bridge | A6 and A7 were operated by Autocesta Rijeka – Zagreb until 31 December 2020. |
Motorways and sections
List of motorways
Motorway sections under construction
| Motorway | County | Length | Section | Description | Scheduled completion |
| A7 | Primorje-Gorski Kotar | Novi Vinodolski bypass | Construction began in September 2021 and will consist of two lane expressway that will match the left lane of the future motorway. | March 2027 | |
| A8 | Primorje-Gorski Kotar | Učka Tunnel-Matulji | Construction of additional two lanes started in September 2023. | End of 2026 | |
| A9 | Istria | Mirna Bridge and Lim Bay Viaduct | Construction of bridge and viaduct for upgrading motorway on four lanes in total, the construction started in February 2024. | End of 2026 |
Planned motorway sections
Traffic cost revenue
In 2022, the network had a traffic of 80,172,262 vehicles, including 70,344,584 light vehicles and 9,827,678 heavy vehicles.The travel cost is 9.00 euros per 100 km for light vehicles in closed system and 6.00 euros in open toll system, while for heavy ones are 39.00 euros per 100 km in closed system and 21.00 in open system.
Those costs generate a revenue of 426.5 millions of euros in 2022.
Accidents
Two third of motorway fatalities occurred in the third of the year between July and October.Expressways
There is a wide variety of types of expressways in Croatia, in terms of number of lanes, accessibility and types of intersections comprised. They range from four lane expressways with grade-separated intersections and limited access - distinguished from the motorways by lack of emergency lanes only - to four or six lane urban expressways with numerous at-grade intersections and traffic lights or two lane limited access roads with grade separated intersections. The expressways include both incomplete motorways, built in stages, and some state roads. There are even some instances of county roads which may be regarded expressways such as Jadranska Avenue.As a rule, the expressways are not tolled; however, major tunnels on the expressways are tolled.
List of completed expressways
| Number | Length | Control cities ' |
| D1 | Karlovac interchange - Cerovac Vukmanićki ' | |
| D1 | Dugopolje interchange - Split ' | |
| D1 | Udbina western bypass ' | |
| D2 | Osijek southern bypass ' | |
| D8 | sections through and near Split ' | |
| D8 | Duboka interchange – Zaton Doli ' | |
| D10 | Sveta Helena interchange - Križevci ' | |
| D12 | Vrbovec 2 interchange - Farkaševac ' | |
| D14 | Zabok interchange – Zlatar Bistrica ' | |
| D33 | Šibenik interchange - Šibenik ' | |
| D76 | Zagvozd - Baška Voda ' | |
| D220 | Bisko interchange - Čaporice ' | |
| D404 | Draga interchange - Rijeka ' | |
| D424 | Zadar 2 interchange - Zadar ' | |
| D425 | Karamatići toll station - Ploče ' | |
| D522 | Gornja Ploča interchange - Udbina |
Expressway sections constructed but not opened
Expressway sections under constructions
| Number | Length | Section | Scheduled completion |
| D5 | Okučani interchange - Novi Varoš ' | Mid-2026 | |
| D8 | Mravince interchange - TTTS ' | Spring 2027 | |
| D10 | Križevci - Kloštar Vojakovački ' | June 2026 | |
| D12 | Breza - Bjelovar ' | Spring 2026 | |
| D12 | Špišić Bukovica - Virovitica interchange ' | Autumn 2025 | |
| D35 | Varaždin interchange - Cerje Tužno ' | April 2028 | |
| D51 | Brestovac Požeški - Godinjak | November 2029 |
Planned expressway sections
[|State roads]
State roads are defined by legislation as important routes for road traffic between various parts of the country. Classification of a road as a state road does not describe actual conditions of the road itself.State roads in Croatia are assigned one, two or three digit numbers which generally comply with the following pattern :
- 1-9 are assigned to trunk roads, normally of considerable length, spanning between borders of various neighboring countries. An obvious exception to this is the D9 state road; however, it spans from Bosnia and Herzegovina border and the Adriatic Sea, along the southernmost portion of Pan-European Corridor Vc.
- 10-99 are assigned to arterial roads on the mainland.
- 100s are assigned to island roads
- 200s are assigned to border crossing access roads.
- 300s are assigned to junction roads, connecting towns or cities to motorways or other major roads. Notable exceptions to this are D307 and D310 state roads, although the D307 originally did not connect to the D29, but only to the A2 motorway.
- 400s are assigned to mainland port and airport access roads.
- 500s are assigned to connecting roads, connecting two different state roads. Notable exceptions to this rule are the D503 which connects to a port and the D516 which connects to a border crossing checkpoint.
- 600s are provisional designations. For example, the road containing Pelješac bridge, from Komarna to Ston, was designated as D674.
D1 - D9
| Number | Control cities ' | Length |
| D1 | Gornji Macelj - Krapina - Zagreb - Karlovac - Gračac - Knin - Sinj - Split | 419.15 km |
| D2 | Dubrava Križovljanska border crossing - Koprivnica - Virovitica - Sveti Đurađ- Našice - Osijek - Vukovar - Ilok border crossing | 347.23 km |
| D3 | Goričan border crossing - Hodošan - Čakovec - Varaždin - Breznički Hum - Popovec - Karlovac - Rijeka | 220.65 km |
| D5 | Terezino Polje border crossing - Virovitica - Veliki Zdenci - Donji Daruvar - Lipik - Stara Gradiška border crossing | 123.19 km |
| D6 | Jurovski Brod border crossing - Ribnik - Karlovac - Brezova Glava - Vojnić - Glina - Dvor border crossing | 134.65 km |
| D7 | Duboševica border crossing - Beli Manastir - Osijek - Đakovo - Slavonski Šamac border crossing | 115.26 km |
| D8 | Pasjak border crossing - Matulji - Rijeka - Zadar - Split - Pelješac - Dubrovnik - Karasovići border crossing | 657.70 km |
| D9''' | Metković border crossing - Opuzen | 10.63 km |
D10 - D77
D100 - D128
| Number | Control cities ' | Length |
| D100 | Porozina - Cres - Mali Lošinj | 80.5 km |
| D101 | D100 - Merag | 10.9 km |
| D102 | Šmrika - Krk - Baška | 48.3 km |
| D103 | D102 - Rijeka Airport | 1.7 km |
| D104 | D102- Valbiska | 10.1 km |
| D105 | Lopar - Rab - Mišnjak | 22.7 km |
| D106 | Žigljen - Novalja - Pag - Ražanac - Posedarje | 73.8 km |
| D109 | Veli Rat - Savar - Sali | 41.9 km |
| D110 | Muline - Ugljan - Tkon | 41.6 km |
| D111 | Maslinica - Grohote - Stomorska | 17.8 km |
| D112 | Rogač - D111 | 1.9 km |
| D113 | Supetar - Nerežišće - Sumartin | 39.4 km |
| D114 | Milna - Sutivan - Supetar | 18.8 km |
| D115 | Gornji Humac - Bol | 11.4 km |
| D116 | Hvar - Milna - Starigrad - Sućuraj | 77.8 km |
| D117 | Komiža - Podhum - Vis | 19.9 km |
| D118 | Vela Luka - Kapja - Dubovo - Korčula | 43.5 km |
| D119 | Ubli - Lastovo | 9.5 km |
| D120 | Pomena - Polače - Sobra - Saplunara | 42.9 km |
| D121 | Murter - Tisno - D8 | 14.0 km |
| D123 | Sobra - D120 | 1.1 km |
| D124 | Brbinj - Brbinj - D109 | 1.7 km |
| D125 | Zaglav - D109 | 1.1 km |
| D126 | Trogir - Arbanija - Slatine | 8.3 km |
| D128''' | Uvala Mikavica - Žirje | 3.8 km |