The A7 motorway ( hr, Autocesta A7) 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 ...
in
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 ...
. It connects the nation's largest port in
Rijeka, to the Croatian motorway network, as well as to the
Rupa
Rupa may refer to:
Places
* Rupa, Croatia, a town in northwest Croatia
* Rupa, Arunachal Pradesh, a town of Arunachal Pradesh
* Rupa gold mine, an artisanal mine in Uganda
* Rupa Lake, a freshwater lake in Nepal
Science
* ''Rupa'' (beetle), a b ...
and
Pasjak border crossings to
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
. The motorway forms part of a
longitudinal
Longitudinal is a geometric term of location which may refer to:
* Longitude
** Line of longitude, also called a meridian
* Longitudinal engine, an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicl ...
transportation corridor in Croatia, and it is a part of
European route E61
European route E61 forms part of the United Nations International E-road network, of which it is a Class A intermediate north–south route. long, it connects the southern part of Austria to the Adriatic Sea.
Itinerary
The E 61 routes th ...
Villach
Villach (; sl, Beljak; it, Villaco; fur, Vilac) is the seventh-largest city in Austria and the second-largest in the federal state of Carinthia. It is an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the p ...
–
Ljubljana
Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center.
During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the are ...
–
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into prov ...
–Rijeka. The A7 motorway route south of
Orehovica interchange, where it also intersects
Pan-European corridor Vb, is a part of
European route E65
European route E65 is a north-south Class-A European route that begins in Malmö, Sweden and ends in Chania, Greece. The road is about in length.
Route
*
**: Malmö ( ) – Ystad
*Gap (Baltic Sea)
** Ystad - Świnoujście
*
**: Świnou ...
.
The A7 motorway runs near a number of
Croatian cities and provides access to
Učka Nature Park and, indirectly, to numerous resorts in the
Istria and
Kvarner Gulf
The Kvarner Gulf (, or , la, Sinus Flanaticus or ), sometimes also Kvarner Bay, is a bay in the northern Adriatic Sea, located between the Istrian peninsula and the northern Croatian Littoral mainland. The bay is a part of Croatia's internal wa ...
regions. The motorway is nationally significant because of its positive
economic impact on the cities and towns it connects, and because of its contribution to
tourism in Croatia
Tourism in Croatia () is a major industry of country's economy, accounting for almost 20% of Croatia's gross domestic product (GDP) as of 2021.
The history of tourism in Croatia dates back to its time as part of Austria-Hungary when wealthy a ...
. The importance of the motorway as a transit route will be further increased upon completion of a proposed expansion of the
Port of Rijeka
The Port of Rijeka ( hr, Luka Rijeka, ) is a seaport in Rijeka, Croatia, located on the shore of the Kvarner Gulf in the Adriatic Sea. The first records of the port date to 1281. It was the main port of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 19th century ...
and Rijeka transport node.
The motorway consists of two
traffic lanes and an
emergency lane in each driving direction, separated by a
central reservation. There are no emergency lanes in the tunnels. All intersections of the A7 motorway are
grade separated
In civil engineering (more specifically highway engineering), grade separation is a method of aligning a junction of two or more surface transport axes at different heights (grades) so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other tra ...
. Numerous bridges,
viaducts, tunnels, and other structures were required as the route traverses rugged terrain. As of 2010, there are ten exits and two
rest area
A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway serv ...
s situated along the route. Most of the motorway is not
tolled, but a single section is tolled using an open toll system with pricing tied to
vehicle classification.
Plans for the motorway were officially formulated in 1974 and the construction was started in 1977. The first sections were completed as a two-lane expressway with grade-separated intersections, in 1988 and 1990, comprising the western arm of Rijeka bypass. As the first stage of the A6 motorway construction spanning between Zagreb and Rijeka neared completion in the 2000s, construction of a proper motorway along the A7 route started. In December 2009, the
Diračje–
Orehovica section was upgraded to a six-lane motorway, bringing the entire route between Rupa border crossing and Sveti Kuzam interchange to a uniform standard.
Two new sections of the A7 motorway are currently under construction, extending the route eastward into vicinity of
Kraljevica,
Crikvenica
Crikvenica () is a city in Croatia, located on the Adriatic in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
Names
The names of the town in various languages include:
* la, Ad Turres
* it, Cirquenizza
* hu, Cirkvenica, Cirkvenicza, Czirkvenicza, Czirkweni ...
, and
Krk Bridge
Krk Bridge ( hr, Krčki most) is a long reinforced concrete arch bridge connecting the Croatian island of Krk to the mainland. Carrying over a million vehicles per year, it was the last tolled bridge in Croatia that is not part of a motorway un ...
. The two sections are scheduled to be completed by 2012. Current long-term plans for developing the A7 motorway define its ultimate southern terminus in
Žuta Lokva at the interchange of the
A1 motorway
A1, A-1, A01 or A.1. may refer to:
Education
* A1, the Basic Language Certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
* Language A1, the former name for "Language A: literature", one of the IB Group 1 subjects
* A1, a ...
. This section is no longer part of any short-term plans, as no funding until 2012 is currently scheduled for the section. Further long-term plans specify an outer Rijeka bypass and a new interchange with the
A8 expressway.
Route description
![A7-Draga](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/A7-Draga.jpg)
The A7 motorway is an important north–south motorway in western
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 ...
, connecting the nation's largest port and the city of
Rijeka to the
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
n road network at the
Rupa
Rupa may refer to:
Places
* Rupa, Croatia, a town in northwest Croatia
* Rupa, Arunachal Pradesh, a town of Arunachal Pradesh
* Rupa gold mine, an artisanal mine in Uganda
* Rupa Lake, a freshwater lake in Nepal
Science
* ''Rupa'' (beetle), a b ...
border crossing.
The A7 motorway currently connects to the rest of the
Croatian motorway network via the
A6 motorway in
Orehovica interchange. The motorway is a part of
International E-road network
The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The network is numbered from E1 up and its roads cross national borders. It also reaches Cen ...
routes
E65 and
E61. The sections south of Orehovica interchange are a part of the E65, while the remaining sections are a part of the E61.
The motorway is of major importance to Croatia in terms of its development of the
economy of Croatia
The economy of Croatia is a high-income service based social market economy with the tertiary sector accounting for 70% of total gross domestic product (GDP). Croatia joined the World Trade Organization in 2000, NATO in 2009 and became a member ...
, most notably in
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...
, as it represents the shortest and the most convenient route between
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into prov ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
or
Ljubljana
Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center.
During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the are ...
, Slovenia and 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 ...
. This particularly applies to tourist resorts in the
Kvarner Gulf
The Kvarner Gulf (, or , la, Sinus Flanaticus or ), sometimes also Kvarner Bay, is a bay in the northern Adriatic Sea, located between the Istrian peninsula and the northern Croatian Littoral mainland. The bay is a part of Croatia's internal wa ...
area and to the Port of Rijeka, but it is also true for resorts in
Istria, served via the
A8 expressway. The genuine importance of the motorway as a transit route will be demonstrated upon completion of the A7 route to
Žuta Lokva interchange of the
A1 motorway
A1, A-1, A01 or A.1. may refer to:
Education
* A1, the Basic Language Certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
* Language A1, the former name for "Language A: literature", one of the IB Group 1 subjects
* A1, a ...
and proposed expansion of the
Port of Rijeka
The Port of Rijeka ( hr, Luka Rijeka, ) is a seaport in Rijeka, Croatia, located on the shore of the Kvarner Gulf in the Adriatic Sea. The first records of the port date to 1281. It was the main port of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 19th century ...
and Rijeka transport node. The former is planned as a part of completion of the
Adriatic–Ionian motorway,
while the latter is planned to encompass the growth of the Port of Rijeka's cargo handling capacity,
improved railroad links and a new Rijeka bypass motorway linking the A7, via a number of new interchanges, to the
A6 and
A8 motorways. The project is, among other goals, aiming to increase traffic along the Croatian part of
Pan-European corridor Vb, which connects to the A7 near Rijeka.
![Rijeka noise barrier A7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Rijeka_noise_barrier_A7.jpg)
, the motorway spans between the Rupa border crossing to Slovenia and Križišće where southbound A7 traffic currently ends at a roundabout connecting to the state roads D8 and D102.
It connects to
Rijeka as it forms Rijeka bypass, the A8 expressway of the
Istrian Y and the A6 which represents motorway connection to
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Slov ...
and
Split
Split(s) or The Split may refer to:
Places
* Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia
* Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay
* Split Island, Falkland Islands
* Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua
Arts, entertai ...
. Future development of the motorway will include southward extensions of the motorway towards
Crikvenica
Crikvenica () is a city in Croatia, located on the Adriatic in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
Names
The names of the town in various languages include:
* la, Ad Turres
* it, Cirquenizza
* hu, Cirkvenica, Cirkvenicza, Czirkvenicza, Czirkweni ...
,
Novi Vinodolski
Novi Vinodolski (, often also called Novi or ''Novi del Vinodol'' o ''Novi in Valdivino'' in Italian) is a town on the Adriatic Sea coast in Croatia, located south of Crikvenica, Selce and Bribir and north of Senj. The population of Novi is 3,988 ...
,
Senj
Senj (; it, Segna, la, Senia, Hungarian and german: Zengg) is a town on the upper Adriatic coast in Croatia, in the foothills of the Mala Kapela and Velebit mountains.
The symbol of the town is the Nehaj Fortress ( hr, Tvrđava Nehaj) whic ...
, and ultimately Žuta Lokva interchange on the A1 motorway.
The A7 motorway consists of two
traffic lane
In road transport, a lane is part of a roadway that is designated to be used by a single line of vehicles to control and guide drivers and reduce traffic conflicts. Most public roads (highways) have at least two lanes, one for traffic in eac ...
s and an
emergency lane in each driving direction along its entire length, except in tunnels where there are emergency bays rather than lanes. All existing interchanges are
trumpet interchanges
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, usi ...
. There are two
rest area
A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway serv ...
s along the motorway, providing various types of services ranging from parking spaces and restrooms to
filling station
A filling station, also known as a gas station () or petrol station (), is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel.
Ga ...
s and restaurants.
As of October 2010, the motorway has 10 interchanges, providing access to a number of towns and cities and to the
Croatian state road network.
The motorway is operated by
Autocesta Rijeka – Zagreb.
An automatic traffic monitoring and guidance system is in place along the motorway. It consists of measuring, control, and signaling devices, located in zones where driving conditions may vary—at interchanges, near viaducts, beside bridges, in tunnels, and in zones where fog and strong winds are known to occur. The system consists of
variable traffic signs used to communicate changing driving conditions, possible restrictions, and other information to motorway users.
The A7 motorway runs through hills, rugged coastal terrain, and urban areas, requiring a substantial number of bridges, viaducts, and tunnels along the route. Particular attention to the environment is also required since the route is situated in
karst topography, which is particularly susceptible to water pollution, and the urbanized areas requiring special attention to be paid to
noise pollution
Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life, most of them are harmful to a degree. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is ma ...
.
Noise pollution was assessed as especially severe in the Rastočine neighborhood of Rijeka, where residential buildings are particularly close to the motorway route, most notably a 26-story
high-rise only away from the route. The noise pollution was addressed by building a noise barrier long which largely encloses that motorway section like a tunnel.
Curved overhead sections of the noise barrier are covered with of
solar panels with annual electricity production capacity of 248,000
kWh.
Toll
![Road junction above Bakar, Croatia, under construction](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Road_junction_above_Bakar%2C_Croatia%2C_under_construction.jpg)
Only one section of the A7 motorway is
tolled based on the
vehicle classification in Croatia There are two forms of Vehicle size class, vehicle classification in Croatia. Vehicles are classified by categories in the driving license and by categories for toll highways.
Driving license classification
As an Eu member, EU member, Croatia has ...
using an open toll system in place between the Rupa and
Jurdani interchanges.
The toll is payable in
Croatian kuna
The kuna is the currency of Croatia, in use since 1994 (sign: kn; code: HRK). It is subdivided into 100 lipa. The kuna is issued by the Croatian National Bank and the coins are minted by the Croatian Mint. The plural form of the word kuna in Cr ...
,
euro
The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . ...
s, and major credit and debit cards. A number of prepaid toll collection systems are also used, including various types of smart cards issued by the motorway operator and ''ENC''—an
electronic toll collection (ETC) system which is shared by most motorways in Croatia and provides drivers with discounted toll rates for dedicated lanes at toll plazas.
As of December 2010, Autocesta Rijeka–Zagreb collects toll on a single section of the motorway, between Rupa and Jurdani interchanges, close to the northern terminus of the motorway.
Unlike those sections further south, which are used as bypass road of the city of Rijeka, therefore carrying substantial suburban and commuter traffic, the tolled section carries almost exclusively transit traffic. The Rupa toll plaza, located on the section reported 240,975 kuna (
€
The euro sign () is the currency sign used for the euro, the official currency of the eurozone and unilaterally adopted by Kosovo and Montenegro. The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996. It consists ...
32,400) collected during a single, peak season, weekend in July.
Even though motorway traffic volume and thus toll revenue, decreased slightly elsewhere in the country, this particular tolled section reported virtually no change in income by 2010.
Notable structures
![Most na Rječini, 24](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Most_na_Rje%C4%8Dini%2C_24.6.2006._%282%29.jpg)
As the A7 motorway route runs through rugged terrain, it utilizes a substantial number of major structures—bridges, viaducts, tunnels, underpasses,
flyovers, and
culverts. A significant number of interchanges present along Rijeka bypass the A7 section between Matulji and Sveti Kuzam which consists of seven interchanges (including the Orehovica interchange with the A6 motorway), thus yielding an average distance of only between them.
The longest structures on the A7 motorway are the Trsat Tunnel located on the
Orehovica interchange–
Škurinje section, the Škurinje II Tunnel situated between Škurinje and
Rujevica exits, and the Vežica Viaduct built on Orehovica–Draga section of the motorway.
Rječina Bridge, a inclined strut reinforced concrete bridge spanning the
Rječina River canyon, is also noteworthy because its design and construction conditions are different from normal since it spans a protected water supply zone. The bridge consists of two parallel structures, and the first one to be completed was the northern span in 1984. The southern span was the last structure completed on the present A7 motorway route, and it was opened to traffic in 2009, 25 years after the original span.
History
Rijeka bypass
![Cvor Orehovica Rijeka 060708](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Cvor_Orehovica_Rijeka_060708.jpg)
Development of the city of Rijeka and the surrounding region (particularly in relation to the development of Port of Rijeka), associated transit transport of cargo, tourism and associated passenger traffic to the northern Adriatic resorts, rugged coastal topography, and the existing road routes running through the city of Rijeka itself, necessitated development of a high capacity bypass road to further the development and relieve congestion on the city streets. This was first officially formulated in spatial planning documents in 1974, and construction started in 1977.
The first, section was completed in July 1988, between Diračje and Orehovica interchange, executed as a two-lane expressway with grade separated intersections. The Diračje–Matulji and Matulji–Jušići sections, completed in 1990 and 1991 respectively, were built as four-lane expressways without emergency lanes. Those completed the western arm of Rijeka bypass, but traffic proceeding east from Orehovica interchange to
Krk Island,
Crikvenica
Crikvenica () is a city in Croatia, located on the Adriatic in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
Names
The names of the town in various languages include:
* la, Ad Turres
* it, Cirquenizza
* hu, Cirkvenica, Cirkvenicza, Czirkvenicza, Czirkweni ...
, and
Senj
Senj (; it, Segna, la, Senia, Hungarian and german: Zengg) is a town on the upper Adriatic coast in Croatia, in the foothills of the Mala Kapela and Velebit mountains.
The symbol of the town is the Nehaj Fortress ( hr, Tvrđava Nehaj) whic ...
still had to switch to streets of Rijeka.
Modern motorway
In the 2000s, as the first stage of the A6 motorway construction spanning between Zagreb and Rijeka neared completion, construction of a proper motorway along the A7 route started. In 2004, when the first stage of Rijeka–Zagreb motorway was completed,
the A7 route was extended by to Jurdani, and in 2005, another section was completed between Jurdani and the Slovenian border. The two new sections were the first ones built as a six-lane motorway. In May 2006, the motorway extended east to Sveti Kuzam, forming the eastern arm of Rijeka bypass, relieving that part of the city from the transit traffic. Finally, after the Rijeka–Zagreb motorway was completed in 2008,
the works on the remaining single-carriageway section of the route intensified. In December 2009, the Diračje–Orehovica section was upgraded to six-lane motorway, thus bringing the entire route between Rupa border crossing and Sveti Kuzam interchange to a uniform standard.
Even though
Hrvatske autoceste
Hrvatske autoceste (HAC) or Croatian Motorways Ltd is a Croatian state-owned limited liability company tasked with management, construction and maintenance of motorways in Croatia pursuant to provisions of the Croatian Public Roads Act ( hr, Zakon ...
normally develops motorways in Croatia,
as of September 2007,
Autocesta Rijeka – Zagreb was granted expansion of the concession previously awarded. The new concession contract included development and maintenance of the A7 motorway north of Križišće interchange,
Krk Bridge
Krk Bridge ( hr, Krčki most) is a long reinforced concrete arch bridge connecting the Croatian island of Krk to the mainland. Carrying over a million vehicles per year, it was the last tolled bridge in Croatia that is not part of a motorway un ...
, and a number of motorway access roads.
At the same time, the concession period was extended to 32 years and 11 months, starting on the date of the original concession contract.
Therefore, the concession, in its present form, will expire on May 28, 2031.
Construction costs incurred after 2007, when Autocesta Rijeka – Zagreb took over the motorway development, were estimated at 105 million euros.
Future
Long-term plans of development of the A7 motorway, published in the 2000s, involved an extension of the southern terminus to the interchange with the
A1 motorway
A1, A-1, A01 or A.1. may refer to:
Education
* A1, the Basic Language Certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
* Language A1, the former name for "Language A: literature", one of the IB Group 1 subjects
* A1, a ...
at
Žuta Lokva. The section between Križišće and the Žuta Lokva was initially planned to be opened as an expressway by 2009, but those plans have been put on hold and the section is no longer included in any short-term plans, as no funding is going to be appropriated for it until 2012.
In 2012, Croatian government announced that no funds shall be made available in near future for construction of A7 south of Križišće.
Further long-term plans specify an outer Rijeka bypass which is planned on the route Jurdani-Marčelji-Kikovica-Kraljevica, and it would be wider and longer. Similarly, a new interchange of the A8 and A7 motorways is planned near Jušići; however, these long-term plans, even though they are well documented in government studies, still have no funding approved.
The bypass of
Novi Vinodolski
Novi Vinodolski (, often also called Novi or ''Novi del Vinodol'' o ''Novi in Valdivino'' in Italian) is a town on the Adriatic Sea coast in Croatia, located south of Crikvenica, Selce and Bribir and north of Senj. The population of Novi is 3,988 ...
, from the
Selce junction to the Novi Vinodolski junction, will be long and its route will be built on the route of the left lane of the future highway. The route of the bypass passes through extremely demanding terrain, which is why a large number of facilities will be built on it, of which the long Zagori tunnel and the Ričina viaduct across the Vinodol valley, long, stand out. The works, according to the contract, should be completed within three years. The 600 million kuna construction contract was signed between
Hrvatske Autocesta and a contractor, a consortium consisting of the Slovenian company Kolektor CPG and the Italian ICM SPA. The decision to build the Novi bypass was made by the
Government of the Republic of Croatia
The Government of Croatia ( hr, Vlada Hrvatske), formally the Government of the Republic of Croatia ( hr, Vlada Republike Hrvatske), commonly abbreviated to Croatian Government ( hr, hrvatska Vlada), is the main executive branch of government ...
, and the financing of the project was provided in cooperation with the Croatian Postal Bank (HPB) and the
Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development ( hr, Hrvatska banka za obnovu i razvitak, HBOR) is Croatia's national development bank. Its task is the promotion of the development of the Croatian economy by extending loans, insuring export trans ...
(HBOR).
Traffic volume
Traffic is regularly counted by means of a traffic census at Rupa mainline toll plaza as well as at two other sections of the motorway which are not tolled. The traffic volume is reported by Autocesta Rijeka – Zagreb, the operator of the motorway, and are published by
Hrvatske ceste
Hrvatske ceste (lit. ''Croatian roads'') is a Croatian state-owned company pursuant to provisions of the Croatian Public Roads Act ( hr, Zakon o javnim cestama enacted by the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia.
The tasks of the company are def ...
. The traffic is the heaviest along the western arm of Rijeka bypass as the section serves the city and acts as a link between the A8 and the A6 motorways while carrying regular A7 traffic. That part of the A7 motorway carries a 20,100-vehicle
annual average daily traffic (AADT), and a 31,700-vehicle
average summer daily traffic (ASDT) figure.
Substantial variations observed between AADT and ASDT are normally attributed to the fact that the motorway carries significant tourist traffic to Istria and Kvarner Gulf area. The seasonal increase in traffic volume ranges from 10% on the south of Oštrovica interchange to 120% as measured on the Rupa–Matulji section. The central part of the motorway exhibits summer-season traffic volume increase of approximately 50%.
Rest areas
![A7-Vratajadrana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/A7-Vratajadrana.jpg)
As of November 2010, there are only two rest areas operating along the A7 motorway.
Applicable legislation provides for four types of rest areas designated as types A through D: A-type rest areas comprise a full range of amenities including a filling station, a restaurant, and a hotel or
motel
A motel, also known as a motor hotel, motor inn or motor lodge, is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central lobby. Entering dictionarie ...
; B-type rest areas have no lodging; C-type rest areas are very common and include a filling station and a
café
A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non ...
but no restaurants or accommodations; and D-type rest areas offer parking spaces only, with possibly some picnic tables, benches, and restrooms.
Even though the rest areas found along the A7 motorway follow this ranking system, the Vrata Jadrana rest area is a C-type rest area and the Rupa rest area is a B-type facility. The filling stations also offer
LPG fuel and include small
convenience stores
A convenience store, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail business that stocks a range of everyday items such as coffee, groceries, snack foods, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery ticke ...
.
The primary motorway operator, Autocesta Rijeka–Zagreb, leases the rest areas to various operators through public tenders. As of November 2010, both rest areas found along the A7 motorway are operated by
OMV
OMV (formerly abbreviation for Österreichische Mineralölverwaltung Aktiengesellschaft ('' en, Austrian Mineral Oil Administration Stock Company'')) is an Austrian multinational integrated oil, gas and petrochemical company which is headquart ...
. The rest area operators are not permitted to sub-lease the fuel operations, but they are also penalized if some facilities required by the lease contract are not operating.
All of the A7 motorway rest areas, are accessible from both traffic directions of the motorway. The rest areas normally operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
{, class="wikitable"
, -
! colspan= 5 , List of A7 motorway rest areas
, -
! County
! km
! Name
! Operators
! Notes
, -
, rowspan=2 ,
Primorje-Gorski Kotar
, 5.5
, Rupa
,
OMV
OMV (formerly abbreviation for Österreichische Mineralölverwaltung Aktiengesellschaft ('' en, Austrian Mineral Oil Administration Stock Company'')) is an Austrian multinational integrated oil, gas and petrochemical company which is headquart ...
, Facilities found at Rupa rest area are a filling station selling petrol, diesel fuel, and LPG, a café, a restaurant, and restrooms.
, -
, 18.0
, Vrata Jadrana
, OMV
, Facilities found at Vrata Jadrana rest area are a filling station selling petrol, diesel fuel, and LPG, a café, and restrooms.
Exit list
{, class="wikitable"
, -
!scope="col", County
!scope="col", km
!scope="col", Exit
!scope="col", Name
!scope="col", Destination
!scope="col", Notes
, -
, rowspan=16 ,
Primorje-Gorski Kotar
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , 0.0
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
![Zeichen 392 - Zollstelle, StVO 1970](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Zeichen_392_-_Zollstelle%2C_StVO_1970.svg)
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , Rupa border crossing
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
![Bundesstraße 6 number](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Bundesstra%C3%9Fe_6_number.svg)
6
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , Rupa border crossing to
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
. The road continues into
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
as route 6 towards
Ilirska Bistrica
Ilirska Bistrica (; german: Illyrisch Feistritz; it, Villa del Nevoso, before 1927: ''Bisterza,'' Hungarian: ''Illírbeszterce'') is a town in the Inner Carniola region of southwestern Slovenia. It is the administrative seat of the Municipality ...
and
Ljubljana
Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center.
During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the are ...
The northern terminus of the
European route E61
European route E61 forms part of the United Nations International E-road network, of which it is a Class A intermediate north–south route. long, it connects the southern part of Austria to the Adriatic Sea.
Itinerary
The E 61 routes th ...
concurrency and the northern terminus of the motorway
, -
, 1.9
, align=center , 1
,
Rupa
Rupa may refer to:
Places
* Rupa, Croatia, a town in northwest Croatia
* Rupa, Arunachal Pradesh, a town of Arunachal Pradesh
* Rupa gold mine, an artisanal mine in Uganda
* Rupa Lake, a freshwater lake in Nepal
Science
* ''Rupa'' (beetle), a b ...
,
, Connection to D8 and
Pasjak border crossing; That route extends into Slovenia as route 7 and further on to
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into prov ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, -
, 4.0
,
![Zeichen 391 - Mautpflichtige Strecke, StVO 2003](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Zeichen_391_-_Mautpflichtige_Strecke%2C_StVO_2003.svg)
, colspan=3 , Rupa toll plaza
, -
, 5.5
, align=center ,
![Zeichen 314 - Parkplatz, StVO 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Zeichen_314-50_-_Parkplatz%2C_StVO_2013.svg)
, colspan=3 , Rupa rest area
, -
, 11.4
, align=center , 3
,
Jurdani
,
, Connection to Jurdani and
Jušići
, -
, 16.4
, align=center , 4
,
Matulji
Matulji ( it, Mattuglie) is a municipality in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia. It is located west of the city of Rijeka, north of the town of Opatija, and it borders Slovenia.
Municipality
There are a total of 11,246 inhabitants in the m ...
,
, Also a connection a number of cities and towns via the A8 motorway (E751) including
Rijeka via Kvarnerska Cesta,
Opatija
Opatija (; it, Abbazia; german: Sankt Jakobi) is a List of cities and towns in Croatia, town and a municipality in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in western Croatia. The traditional seaside resort on the Kvarner Gulf is known for its Mediterranean ...
and Matulji
, -
, 18.0
, align=center ,
![Zeichen 314 - Parkplatz, StVO 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Zeichen_314-50_-_Parkplatz%2C_StVO_2013.svg)
, colspan=3 , Vrata Jadrana rest area
, -
, 20.0
, align=center , 5
,
Diračje
,
, Connection to Rijeka and
Kastav
Kastav (Italian: Castua) is a town in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia, built on a 365 m high hill overlooking the Kvarner Gulf in the northern part of the Adriatic coast. It is in close vicinity of Rijeka, the largest port in Croatia, an ...
, -
, 23.1
, align=center , 6
,
Rujevica
,
,
, -
, 23.9
, align=center , 7
,
Škurinje
,
, Connection to
Rijeka and the
Port of Rijeka
The Port of Rijeka ( hr, Luka Rijeka, ) is a seaport in Rijeka, Croatia, located on the shore of the Kvarner Gulf in the Adriatic Sea. The first records of the port date to 1281. It was the main port of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 19th century ...
(west)
, -
, 27.3
, colspan=4 align=center ,
Rječina Bridge
, -
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , 28.5
, bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center , 8
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
Orehovica
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , Connection to the A6 motorway (E65)
The southern terminus of the European route E61 concurrency; The northern terminus of the
European route E65
European route E65 is a north-south Class-A European route that begins in Malmö, Sweden and ends in Chania, Greece. The road is about in length.
Route
*
**: Malmö ( ) – Ystad
*Gap (Baltic Sea)
** Ystad - Świnoujście
*
**: Świnou ...
concurrency
, -
, 31.0
, align=center , 9
,
Draga
,
, Connection to
Vežica,
Brajdica and the Port of Rijeka (Brajdica)
The access road from Draga to the port in Brajdica is also considered a part of A7.
, -
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , 34.4
, bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center , 10
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
Sveti Kuzam
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , Connection to
Bakar
Bakar ( it, Buccari; hu, Szádrév) is a town in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in western Croatia. The population of the town was 8,279 according to the 2011 Croatian census, including 1,473 in the titular settlement. Ninety percent of the ...
,
Čavle
Čavle is a village and a municipality in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in western Croatia.
There are a total of 7,220 inhabitants, in the following settlements:
* Buzdohanj, population 1,517
* Cernik, population 1,397
* Čavle, population ...
and the
D8 road; As this is the easternmost interchange completed on A7 motorway, it also serves as a connection to
Crikvenica
Crikvenica () is a city in Croatia, located on the Adriatic in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
Names
The names of the town in various languages include:
* la, Ad Turres
* it, Cirquenizza
* hu, Cirkvenica, Cirkvenicza, Czirkvenicza, Czirkweni ...
,
Senj
Senj (; it, Segna, la, Senia, Hungarian and german: Zengg) is a town on the upper Adriatic coast in Croatia, in the foothills of the Mala Kapela and Velebit mountains.
The symbol of the town is the Nehaj Fortress ( hr, Tvrđava Nehaj) whic ...
and island of
Krk
Krk (; it, Veglia; ruo, Krk; dlm, label= Vegliot Dalmatian, Vikla; la, Curicta; grc-gre, Κύρικον, Kyrikon) is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, located near Rijeka in the Bay of Kvarner and part of Primorje-Gorski Kot ...
(via the D8), until the A7 is extended.
The southern terminus of the European route E65 concurrency; The southern terminus of the motorway
, -
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
, bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center , 11
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
Meja
Meja Anna Pernilla Kullersten (formerly Beckman; born Anna Pernilla Torndahl, 12 February 1969) is a Swedish composer, artist and singer. Among her best known songs are "Private Emotion", a duet with Ricky Martin from his multi-Platinum album ...
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , Access to Meja,
Hreljin and
Križišće
Križišće is a village in Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map = ...
; Opened in December 2013
, -
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , 39.7
, bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center , 12
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
Križišće 2
, bgcolor=#ddffdd ,
, bgcolor=#ddffdd , Access to
Šmrika
Šmrika is a village in Croatia, near the Island Krk and the Krk Bridge. It's part of the Town of Kraljevica, which is part of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County
Primorje-Gorski Kotar County ( hr, Primorsko-goranska županija, ) is a county i ...
and
Omišalj
Omišalj ( it, Castel Muschio; german: Moschau) is a coastal municipality in the north-west of the island of Krk in Croatia. The population of Omišalj itself is 1,868 (2011), while the municipality also includes the nearby village of Njivice, bri ...
; Opened in December 2013
The access road from Križišće to the Krk Bridge is also considered a part of A7.
, -
,
Lika-Senj County
, bgcolor=#ffdead , 69.0
, bgcolor=#ffdead align=center , 13
, bgcolor=#ffdead ,
Žuta lokva
, bgcolor=#ffdead ,
, bgcolor=#ffdead , Interchange with
A1 (Connection with
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Slov ...
,
Split
Split(s) or The Split may refer to:
Places
* Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia
* Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay
* Split Island, Falkland Islands
* Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua
Arts, entertai ...
); Planned as a part of
Adriatic–Ionian motorway
See also
*
International E-road network
The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The network is numbered from E1 up and its roads cross national borders. It also reaches Cen ...
*
Transport in Croatia
Transport in Croatia relies on several main modes, including transport by car, train, ship and plane. Road transport incorporates a comprehensive network of state, county and local routes augmented by a network of highways for long-distance travel ...
References
External links
Autocesta Rijeka–Zagreb web cameras
{{DEFAULTSORT:A07 (Croatia)
Motorways in Croatia
Transport in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County