Učka Tunnel
The Učka Tunnel (Croatian: Tunel Učka) is a toll tunnel on the A8 motorway in Croatia, under the Učka mountain range, as part of the Istrian Y network in Istria owned and operated by BINA Istra (owning the highway in a concession from 1995 to 2027).
Učka Tunnel western approach (A8) | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Tunel Učka |
| Location | Istria County, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Croatia |
| Coordinates | 45°18′48″N 14°12′51″E |
| Crosses | Učka |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1981 |
| Owner | BINA Istra |
| Toll | 4,50 euros |
| Technical | |
| Length | 5,062 m (16,608 ft) |
| No. of lanes | 2 |
| Operating speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
| Width | 9.1 m (30 ft) |
| Route map | |
At 9.1 meters (30 ft) wide and 5,062 m (16,608 ft) long, it is the third longest in Croatia after the Mala Kapela and Sveti Rok tunnels. The tunnel consists of a single tube (although another is under construction), with two traffic lanes operating in opposite directions. Construction on the existing tunnel tube began in 1978 and it was opened for traffic on September 27, 1981.
The toll is part of the rest of the closed toll collection system in use on the Istrian Y. The shortest possible journey through it costs EUR 4,50 for a class I vehicle.
It is rated Class D/E under the ADR treaty for hazardous materials transportation, and vehicles transporting restricted goods must be pre-arranged and escorted. It is the only suitable road between Istria and the rest of Croatia for vehicles over 5 tonnes.
Over 40 million vehicles have passed through the tunnel, with more than 2.7 million passing in 2007 alone. During the summer of 2008, on average 14,000 vehicles passed daily.