The route and method of construction have been changed tunnel between the Sava and Danube slopes, eKapija reported. It is the tunnel that the leaders of the city, announcing it in July 2023, named "Little Metro".
The route change is planned in order to reduce the traffic load in the central city core and shorten the travel time between the Sava and Danube slopes, and a change in the construction method of the future tunnel is also planned.
Two years ago
Aleksandar Šapić, the mayor of Belgrade, then explained that the tunnel would be entered at the Faculty of Economics (there are Karađorđev and Gavrilo Principa streets), and exited at Despot Stefana Boulevard, near the SUP building, which is a little after the intersection of this boulevard and Cvijićeva Street.
At that time, it was estimated that the work on the construction of the tunnel would cost around 150 million euros, it was announced that it would begin in 2024, and that it would be completed in two to two and a half years. The construction of the new Sava bridge at the same time as the tunnel, on the site of the Old Sava bridge, was also announced, for which 90 million euros have been allocated.
"I am extremely happy that we have combined the projects of the tunnel and the construction of the new Sava bridge into one. That is why we decided not to start the construction of the bridge, because we think that the bridge cannot play its full role until the tunnel is completed. By completing the major road in New Belgrade, building the bridge and the tunnel, we are connecting the two most distant parts of the city with traffic, which is why we called this project the "Little Metro", said Šapić at the time.
Latest route
According to the latest amendments to the Detailed Regulation Plan, the entrances to the tunnel are planned in the extension of the old Sava bridge, which will be replaced by a new one, and exits on the side of the Danube slope near the MUP building, near the intersection of Bulevara despot Stefana and Ulica Jovana Avakumovića. The route of the tunnel envisages passing under Gavrila Princip Street, Terazije, Nušićeva Street and further along the route of Despot Stefana Boulevard.
The tunnel will have two traffic tubes with two lanes each, and the total area covered by the plan is 34,97 hectares. The plan includes landscaping of green areas on both sides of the tunnel, including green islands, tree rows and footpaths.
The project includes the redefinition of Luka Ćelović Park, which will be divided into a square next to the Faculty of Economics and a square bordered by Gavrilo Princip, Karađorđeva and Lička streets.
In November 2014, the state took a loan worth RSD 24,9 billion from Poštanska Štedionica for the tunnel project. In the contract signed by the Ministry of Finance with Poštanska štedionica, the repayment period is up to 10 years.
Mole
Instead of the traditional construction method, the tunnel will be built using TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) technology, which, as stated, will speed up the execution of works and reduce negative impacts on the environment.
In mid-May of this year, the City's chief urban planner, Marko Stojčić, said that "it takes more than a year just to prepare the ground for placing the 'mole'. Once it is settled and digging begins, there is no stopping," explained Stojčić.
In November 2024, the state took a loan worth RSD 24,9 billion from Poštanska Štedionica for the tunnel project. In the contract signed by the Ministry of Finance with Poštanska štedionica, the repayment period is up to 10 years.
The holder of the plan is the Secretariat for Urbanism and Construction Affairs, the developer is the Urban Institute of Belgrade, while the client is the Jaroslav Černi Institute, and the contractor is Power China International Group Limited through the intermediary Power Construction Corporation of China Limited Belgrade Branch.
