A3 (Croatia)

A3 motorway shield
A3 motorway
Autocesta A3
Autocesta Bregana - Lipovac
Map key - green in use Map key - blue other motorways
Route information
Part of E65 E70 E71
Length306.5 km (190.5 mi)
Major junctions
FromSlovenian A2 motorway shield Slovenian A2 at Bregana border crossing
Major intersections A2 in Jankomir interchange
A1 in Lučko interchange
A11 in Jakuševec interchange
A4 in Ivanja Reka interchange
D5 in Okučani interchange
D525 in Slavonski Brod zapad (west) interchange
A5 in Sredanci interchange
D55 in Županja interchange
ToSerbian motorway A3 shield Serbian A3 at Bajakovo border crossing
Location
CountryCroatia
CountiesCity of Zagreb, Zagreb County, Sisak-Moslavina, Brod-Posavina, Vukovar-Srijem
Major citiesZagreb, Kutina, Nova Gradiška, Slavonski Brod, Županja
Highway system

The A3 motorway (Croatian: Autocesta A3) is a major motorway in Croatia spanning 306.5 kilometres (190.5 mi). The motorway connects Zagreb, the nation's capital, to the historical Slavonia region of Croatia and a number of cities along the Sava River. It represents a major east–west transportation corridor in Croatia and a significant part of the Pan-European Corridor X, serving as a transit route between the European Union states and the Balkans. Apart from Zagreb, where the A3 motorway comprises a considerable part of the Zagreb bypass, the motorway runs near a number of significant Croatian cities.[1]

Six lane motorway running through rural area, separated by noise barriers.
The A3 motorway near Slavonski Brod

The motorway consists of two traffic lanes and an emergency lane in each driving direction, separated by a central reservation. All intersections of the A3 motorway are grade separated, and the motorway comprises several large stack and cloverleaf interchanges at junctions with four other motorways in Croatia: A1, A2, A4 and A5. There is a cloverleaf interchange is on the A3 route, where the A11 motorway is scheduled to branch off. The route comprises a large number of bridges and culverts, but has no tunnels because it runs through plains. The Sava River Bridge is the most significant structure on the A3. Currently, there are 21 exits and 18 rest areas operating along the route.[2] A large part of the motorway is tolled using a ticket system; one section uses an open toll collection system. The Zagreb bypass sections are not tolled. The toll is charged according to vehicle classification in Croatia.[3] The A3 motorway is operated by Hrvatske autoceste.[4][5]

Construction of the six-lane motorway began in 1977, initially as the Zagreb bypass, then continued in the 1980s as an expansion of the existing two-lane road between Zagreb and Belgrade. The construction was suspended in the first part of the 1990s, due to the Croatian War of Independence, and resumed in 1996. Construction of the entire route was completed in 2006; further development entails new exits, new rest areas and the reconstruction of the existing motorway.[6] The construction cost of the A3 motorway is estimated at 7 billion Croatian kuna (approximately 958.9 million euro).[7]

  1. ^ "Odluka o označavanju autocesta" [Decision on motorway markings]. Narodne novine (in Croatian). January 5, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  2. ^ Croatian Motorways. Hrvatske autoceste. 2007. pp. 255–281. ISBN 978-953-7491-09-3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-02-18. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  3. ^ "Toll payment conditions". Hrvatske autoceste. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  4. ^ "Zakon o javnim cestama" [Public Roads Act]. Narodne Novine (in Croatian). December 14, 2004. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
  5. ^ "Overview of motorways and semi-motorways". HUKA. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Građevinar-A3izgradnja was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "U prometu dionica Županja–Lipovac autoceste A3" [Županja–Lipovac section of the A3 motorway opens for traffic]. Poslovni dnevnik (in Croatian). June 30, 2006. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2010.