The A1 motorway ( bs, Autocesta A1, sr-cyr, Аутопут A1, Autoput A1) is a

motorway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

that is part of the

European route E73 European route E73 forms part of the United Nations International E-road network, connecting Hungary and eastern Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Adriatic Sea in the vicinity of the port of Ploče. This route is also designated as the ...

and, together with Croatian motorways A10 and A5, and the Hungarian M6, will provide a modern and fast road connection from

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

Ploče Ploče (; it, Porto Tolero) is a town and seaport in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. Geography Ploče is located on the Adriatic coast in Dalmatia just north of the Neretva Delta and is the natural seaside endpoint of most north-south ...

, a seaport on the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...

. The motorway will connect the capital

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...

with other large cities, such as

Mostar Mostar (, ; sr-Cyrl, Мостар, ) is a city and the administrative center of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the historical capital of Herzegovina. Mostar is sit ...

and

Zenica Zenica ( ; ; ) is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an administrative and economic center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Zenica-Doboj Canton. It is located in the Bosna (river), Bosna river valley, about north of Sarajevo. Th ...

. It will also be the main link to Bosnia and Herzegovina from the

and

Central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the area' ...

Sections

* Section 1: Sava - Doboj **64 km * Section 2: Doboj - Sarajevo south (

Tarčin Tarčin is a village in the municipality of Hadžići, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located around 30 km west of Sarajevo in the Sarajevo Canton within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. European route E73, a European highway betw ...

) **150 km * Section 3: Sarajevo south (Tarčin) - Mostar (north) **58 km * Section 4: Mostar (north) - Croatian border **68 km ***Total: ''340 km'' On 20 June 2013, the 5 km section between

Bijača Bijača (Serbian Cyrillic: Бијача) is a village in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the 1991 census, the village is located in the municipality of Ljubuški Ljubuški is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is locat ...

and

Kravica Kravica ( sr-cyr, Кравица) is a village located in the municipality of Bratunac, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013 census, it has a population of 567 inhabitants. During the 1992–95 Bosnian War, the village was badly d ...

was opened. A new border crossing with Croatia opened on June 28.Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers opens today border crossing Bijača
- ''SarajevoTimes'', 28 June 2013 The motorway passes near the following cities:

Significance

The A1 motorway is the most important road project in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its construction is expected to enhance economic and social activities, and will connect Bosnia and Herzegovina with the major European traffic network.

Exit list

{, class="wikitable" , - !scope="col", km !scope="col", Exit !scope="col", Name !scope="col", Destination !scope="col", Notes , - , 0.0 , , Svilaj border crossing , , Svilaj border crossing to

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

. The road continues into

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

as the A5 motorway towards

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

.
The northern terminus of the motorway , - , 0.0 , 1 , Svilaj , , Connection to Brod (to the west) , - , 9.5 , 2 , Odžak , , Connection to

Odžak Odžak ( sr-cyrl, Оџак) is a town and municipality located in Posavina Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, near the river Sav ...

, - , colspan ="5" bgcolor=#C0C0C0 ,

Modriča Modriča ( sr-cyrl, Модрича) is a town and municipality located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013 census, the town has a population of 10,137 inhabitants, while the municipality has a population of 25,72 ...

Modriča -

, - , 114.2 , align=center , 12 , Zenica North , , Connection to

, - , 130.3 , align=center , 13 , Zenica South , , Connection to

, - , 136.2 , align=center , 14 , Lašva , , Connection to

Travnik Travnik is a town and a municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the administrative center of Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, west of Sarajevo. As of 201 ...

and

Vitez Vitez ( sr-cyrl, Витез) is a town and municipality located in Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the 2013 census, the town has a population of 6,329 inhabitant ...

(to the west) , - , 144.6 , align=center , 15 , Kakanj , , Connection to

Kakanj Kakanj ( sr-cyrl, Какањ) is a town and municipality located in Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a population of 11,796 inhabitants, with 38,937 inh ...

, - , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , 146.7 , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , Zeichen 314 - Parkplatz, StVO 2013

, bgcolor=#fcdcdc , Kameni Dvorac rest area , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , Accessible to northbound traffic only , - , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , 147.9 , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , TE Kakanj , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , Connection to Kakanj Power Station (accessible to southbound traffic only) , - , 161.4 , align=center , 16 , Visoko , , Connection to

Visoko Visoko ( sr-cyrl, Високо, ) is a city located in the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the municipality had a population of 39,938 inhabitants with 11,205 livi ...

and

Kiseljak Kiseljak (Кисељак) is a town and municipality located in Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies in the valley of the Fojnica River, the Lepenica and the Kreševka ...

, - , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , 163.5 , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , Zeichen 314 - Parkplatz, StVO 2013

, bgcolor=#fcdcdc , Visoko rest area , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , , bgcolor=#fcdcdc , Accessible to southbound traffic only , - , 168.6 , align=center , 17 , Podlugovi , , Connection to

Ilijaš Ilijaš ( sr-cyrl, Илијаш) is a town and municipality located in Sarajevo Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located northwest of the inner city of Sarajevo and was established in Ma ...

, - , 179.7 , Zeichen 391 - Mautpflichtige Strecke, StVO 2003

, Sarajevo North toll plaza , - , 180.3 , align=center , 18 , Sarajevo North , , Connection to

Vogošća Vogošća ( sr-cyrl, Bогошћа) is a town and a municipality located in Sarajevo Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The municipality is located about 6 kilometers north of the city of Saraje ...

, - , 185.1 , align=center , 19 , Butila , , Connection to

via BC1 expressway , - , 189.1 , align=center , 20 , Sarajevo West , , Connection to

Hadžići Hadžići ( sr-cyrl, Хаџићи) is a town and municipality located in Sarajevo Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located south west of the city of Sarajevo. According to the 2013 ...

(to the south) , - , 193 , Zeichen 391 - Mautpflichtige Strecke, StVO 2003

, Sarajevo West toll plaza , - , 198.5 , align=center , 21 , Lepenica , , Connection to

(to the north) , - , 201.2 , align=center , Zeichen 314 - Parkplatz, StVO 2013

, colspan=3 , Lepenica rest area , - , 208 , align=center , 22 , Tarčin , , , - , colspan ="5" bgcolor=#C0C0C0 ,

Čapljina Čapljina ( sr-cyrl, Чапљина, ) is a city located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located on the border with Croatia a mere from the Adriatic Sea. The ...

Čapljina -

Međugorje Medjugorje ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Međugorje, Међугорје, ) is a town located in southwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, about southwest of Mostar and east of the border with Croatia. The town is part of the Čitluk municipality ...

, - , 328.8 , align=center , 32 , Međugorje , , Connection to

(to the north) , - , 334.9 , align=center , Zeichen 314 - Parkplatz, StVO 2013

, colspan=3 , Kravica rest area , - , 336.5 , Zeichen 391 - Mautpflichtige Strecke, StVO 2003

, Zvirići toll plaza , - , 337.5 , align=center , 33 , Zvirići , , Connection to

Ljubuški Ljubuški is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the West Herzegovina Canton, a unit of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Kravica cascades lie within the municipality, near the settlement of Studenci ...

(to the north) , - , 340 , align=center , ,

border crossing , , Bijača border crossing to

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

. The road continues into

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

as the A10 motorway
The southern terminus of the motorway.

Environmental concerns and criticism

Since the beginning proposed route for the A1 highway on corridor Vc was under heavy criticism from environmentalists, groups and concerned citizens, as well as some factions in academic community and media, for its encroachment on many already highly endangered natural phenomena, habitats and to significant extent on specific way of human life in traditional communities in relationship with characteristic Dinaric

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

milieu and its characteristic

biotope A biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. ''Biotope'' is almost synonymous with the term "habitat", which is more commonly used in English-speaking countrie ...

hydrogeology Hydrogeology (''hydro-'' meaning water, and ''-geology'' meaning the study of the Earth) is the area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust (commonly in aquif ...

and

topography Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...

. This is especially emphasized in region of Herzegovina where most of Bosnia and Herzegovina's karstic topography and biodiversity is distributed. Several particular sections are of most concern: section in vicinity of Počitelj, section passing through Blagaj, and section through massif of Prenj. For that reason another variant of the route is proposed for every of three particular problematic sections.

References

{{Reflist Highways