The M-2 highway ( cnr, Magistralni put M-2, script=Latn) is a Montenegrin roadway. The M-2 highway is the oldest and most important connection between the coastal region and the North of

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

. It goes from Petrovac na Moru in

Budva Municipality Budva Municipality is one of the municipalities of Montenegro. The administrative center is Town of Budva. The municipality is located at the Adriatic coast in southwestern Montenegro. Location and tourism Budva municipality is located on the Bud ...

, through the capital city of

Podgorica Podgorica (Cyrillic: Подгорица, ; lit. 'under the hill') is the capital and largest city of Montenegro. The city was formerly known as Titograd (Cyrillic: Титоград, ) between 1946 and 1992—in the period that Montenegro form ...

, and the towns of

Kolašin Kolašin (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Колашин, ) is a town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 2,989 (2003 census). Kolašin is the centre of Kolašin Municipality (population 9,949) and an unofficial centre of Morača region, named af ...

and

Mojkovac Mojkovac (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Мојковац, ) is a town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 3,590 (2011 census). Mojkovac is the centre of Mojkovac Municipality, which has a population of 8,622.Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...

north of

Bijelo Polje Bijelo Polje ( cnr, Бијело Поље, ) is a town in northeastern Montenegro on the Lim River. It has an urban population of 15,400 (2011 census). It is the administrative, economic, cultural and educational centre of northern Montenegro. ...

. In 2016, the highway was shortened, and its route changed. The road is considered to be the "backbone of the Montenegrin road network". Most notorious part of this road is Platije Canyon, where more than 1200 people have lost their lives. Part of the Bar-Boljare motorway that is being built from 2015 till 2019 (marked red on the picture) is going to be a new and safe connection between

and

avoiding Platije Canyon.

History

Construction of the historical M-2 highway began in 1953. Construction finished in 1971. Part of M-2 highway, which was known as M-21 highway before January 2016, flowed through the center of the city of

and caused heavy traffic delays. As a means to alleviate traffic in the city, the Montenegrin Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs commissioned a project to create a bypass around the city. As a result, on 27 March 2014, the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs officially realigned the then M-21 highway to the current alignment. The M-21 highway would now run along the bypass, no longer running through the city center. In January 2016, the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs published bylaw on the categorisation of state roads. With this new categorisation, M-2 highway was no longer following the coastal road, from the border with

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 ...

to Petrovac na Moru, which is now part of the newly established M-1 highway. In northern Montenegro, the M-2 was realigned from Ribarevine now going north via

to the border with

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...

, instead of going via

Berane Berane ( cyrl, Беране) is one of the largest towns of northeastern Montenegro and a former administrative centre of the Ivangrad District. The town is located on the Lim river. From 1949 to 1992, it was named Ivangrad ( cyrl, Иванг� ...

and

Rožaje Rožaje ( cnr, Рожаје, bs, Rožaje), ; sq, Rozhajë) is a town in northeastern Montenegro. As of 2011, the city has a population of 9,567 inhabitants. Surrounded by hills to its west and mountains to its east (notably Mount Hajla), the ...

to the border with

, which is now the newly established M-5 highway.

Major intersections

References

{{Highways in Montenegro M-2