The future motorway section Demir Kapija – Smokvica is an important missing link of the Corridor X, the most important international route which passes north-south through Macedonia and provides a connection to the international modern transport network for the region. The section Demir Kapija – Smokvica has a total length of 28.18 km, starting from the existing motorway 1 km before the crossing of the Vardar stream, then entering in Tunnel T1 with over 1.2 km length and crossing again the stream in order to leave the gorge and enter into the mountains of Klisura (Kozuf). Due to morphology with steep slopes the routing between km 3 and 14 includes viaducts, high embankments as well as second tunnel T2 with a length over 1.2 km before to reach more smooth landscape receiving two interchanges, the first Miravci intersection at km 27 and the section in Smokvica. The project joins the existing motorway at its south end at km 28.12, and then closes the link between Skopje and the border with Greece in Gevgelija without changes in level of service of a modern motorway.
The main characteristics of the Project are as following:
- Total length – 28.18km
- 2 twin-tube tunnels
- 6 bridges and 100 culverts for stream regulation
- 5 overpasses and 7 underpasses
- 2 interchanges
- High embankments and deep cuts (›20 m) totalize over 8,000,000 m3 of earthworks.
The amount of the Contract is 210,148,177.33 €. The duration of the civil works Contract is 48 months for construction and 24 months for Defects Notification. The project is co-financed by IPA grant funds, and national co-financing through EBRD and EIB loans. Contractor of the project is AKTOR S.A. Greece.
