Rijeka Bypass to be completed with EBRD Finance

€40 million to significantly cut congestion around city centre

London, United Kingdom – The EBRD is lending the Croatian state-owned road company Hrvatske Ceste €40 million to build the last section of the eastern bypass in Rijeka, between the towns of Sveti Kuzam and Krizisce in north-west Croatia. It will also finance two roads that connect to the bypass.

The loan will help complete the bypass offering motorists an alternative route around Rijeka, therefore avoiding the city centre. It will also help promote road-sector reform through the introduction of performance-based maintenance contracts to increase effectiveness and to lower costs of road maintenance in Croatia.

Riccardo Puliti, EBRD Director for Transport, said traffic congestion, pollution and concerns for safety around the city of Rijeka have worried residents and tourists for many years. Once the bypass is complete, many of these concerns will be dampened as traffic flow will mostly be directed around the city, said Mr Puliti. As well as benefiting residents and tourists, the new bypass will help support those businesses heavily dependent on the road network for trade purposes, he added.

The project builds on an EBRD strategy to develop road networks in Croatia. With this loan, the Bank has provided more than €270 million to finance six road sector projects in the country. These include administrative reforms aimed at improving the management and development of the road network, and preparation and implementation of national road plans.

Established in 2001, with its headquarters in Zagreb, the capital city, Hrvatske Ceste employs nearly 400 people.

The EBRD is one of the largest investors in Croatia having committed more than €1.8 billion in 75 projects.