PANDUREVIĆ: THIRD LANE OVER MOUNTAIN EXPECTED TO OPEN THIS WINTER

SOKOLAC, JULY 10 /SRNA/ – Mirko Pandurević, director of the company Romanijaputevi, told SRNA that all earthworks and drainage installations on the construction site of the third lane over Romanija Mountain are expected to be completed before winter, with slow-moving vehicles planned to use the new lane during the winter season.

Pandurević said that work, which began a few days ago, is progressing according to schedule. During the initial phase, surveying and forest clearing are being carried out simultaneously to prepare the site for a major excavation of more than 40,000 cubic metres.

"In this initial phase, we are conducting trial work using vibro-impact hammers to determine whether the excavation will be carried out with heavy hammer equipment or by blasting," Pandurević explained.

He said Romanijaputevi had signed a contract with the public company Roads of Republika Srpska, which provides a 36-month deadline for completing the project, although the company's goal is to finish the work within 18 months.

"We have signed a contract to construct the third lane for slow-moving vehicles on the Podromanija–Sumbulovac section, covering more than 1,800 metres and including all elements of the main road," Pandurević said, adding that Romanijaputevi has the capacity to undertake much larger projects.

He noted that one of the company's key advantages is the proximity of its production facilities to the construction site.

"Our asphalt, concrete and aggregate production facilities are located nearby. We also have our own laboratory, which monitors all other aspects of the project," Pandurević pointed out.

He stressed that special attention is being paid to the heavy traffic on the main road and to the safety of passing vehicles during construction.

"The work is somewhat slowed because we must ensure the normal flow of traffic and maximum safety for all road users. That is why we have traffic lights, personnel, protective nets and all other necessary measures in place," Pandurević said.

According to him, traffic volumes are now significantly higher than they were in the 1970s, when the road network underwent reconstruction.

"Heavy freight traffic amounts to thousands of vehicles per day," Pandurević said.

He stated that the project for the third climbing lane had been designed to a high standard and that, once the lane from the Sumbulovac direction is completed, the traffic bottleneck over Romanija Mountain will be eliminated.

"The project will require about 15,000 tons of crushed aggregate, around 8,000 tons of asphalt and between 150 and 200 cubic meters of concrete," Pandurević said.