Hrvatske ceste (Croatian Roads) have confirmed that the first asphalt works have begun in the area of the future Karepovac junction. This concerns a section of the expressway from the Mravince junction to the TTTS junction, which is part of the future eastern bypass of Split.
Works are currently underway on the main route of this section to produce the cushion layer of the road structure. In recent months, intensive work has been carried out on the Gladnjica tunnel, overpasses and other structures along the route. The first three phases of the project have been completed civilly, while works continue on phases four and five. The contract value for this part of the project is approximately 32.7 million euros excluding VAT, with completion expected during spring 2027.
During preparatory works in the area between the future TTTS interchange and the Žrnovnica River, large quantities of waste that had been illegally dumped there for years were removed. This covers an area of nearly 45,000 square metres, where a total of 42,297 cubic metres of mixed construction waste was processed. 278 tonnes of bulky waste, nearly five tonnes of tyres and 3.89 tonnes of asbestos cement were separated and disposed of. The waste was disposed of at the expense of Hrvatske ceste (Croatian Roads), with specialist and authorised companies participating in the separation and removal operations.
On the cleared space and near the future traffic route, the first pillars of the new traffic structure are already visible. It has not been officially clarified which specific building these visible pillars belong to or in what stage of preparation they are for bridging the Žrnovnica River. In the wider TTTS and Žrnovnica area, two separate road interventions are planned that include bridging the river. The first is a large bridge on the future expressway from the TTTS junction towards Stara Podstrana, which according to documentation from the latest tender should be approximately 556 metres long. The second bridge is connected to a planned road that would lead directly from TTTS to Žrnovnica and its eastern hinterland. For the implementation of this local transport link, Hrvatske ceste (Croatian Roads), the City of Split and the County Road Administration of the Split-Dalmatia County signed a cooperation agreement in February 2026.
Two bids were received for the Hrvatske ceste (Croatian Roads) tender for the construction of the section from TTTS to Stara Podstrana, estimated at 149.8 million euros excluding VAT, opened on 25 September. The consortium of Strabag and Hering offered 132.93 million euros excluding VAT, while the consortium of Texo Molior and Euro-Asfalt offered 134.48 million euros. The difference between the bids is approximately 1.55 million euros, but price is not the only selection criterion. The procedure for selecting the contractor has not yet had a publicly confirmed final outcome.
The section from TTTS to Stara Podstrana is slightly more than five kilometres long and includes two tunnels through Perun, a bridge over the Žrnovnica, four viaducts and nearly six kilometres of access and replacement roads. 42 months are planned for the execution of the works. For some already completed phases, appropriate administrative procedures, technical inspections and use permits were still required.
