Key motorway project moves to beyond 50% complete and is hailed as the “best highway in Serbia”.
Bechtel and joint venture partner ENKA have celebrated the opening of an additional 30km of the Morava Corridor Motorway, which connects the cities of Kruševac and Vrnjačka Banja in Serbia. The motorway, a 112-kilometre dual highway designed for speeds up to 130 km/h, runs along the West Morava River valley, strategically connecting central Serbia to Pan-European Corridors 10 and 11.
This new section completes roughly 50% of the 112-km project and is estimated to reduce travel times by half, which will accelerate the flow of people and goods, resulting in economic growth and increased investment.
“This is the best highway in Serbia, and I am proud because it will mean more jobs and more investment for our country,” said Aleksandar Vučić, the Serbian president speaking at the opening event. The motorway is not only a catalyst for economic growth, but also an opportunity for local communities to develop new skills and grow their businesses. More specifically, roughly 40% of the project’s 4,000 employees are Serbian and Bechtel has awarded 80% of its subcontracts and purchase orders to Serbian companies.
Darren Mort, president of Bechtel’s infrastructure business, said: “With each new section opening, the Morava motorway is transforming lives for thousands of Serbians. As we’ve seen around the world, making travel safer and more efficient enhances wellbeing, boosts productivity and supports local economies. This milestone adds to what has been a very exciting year for the Bechtel-ENKA team, having recently won international awards on this project for environmental stewardship, global programme management and financing.”
The Morava motorway will be Serbia’s first digital highway, featuring a fibre optic cable alongside the road to enhance traffic management. The motorway also incorporates a robust floodwater defence system, designed to protect local communities from flooding challenges that have plagued the region for centuries. The road will also provide access to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia and includes 12 interchanges, 79 bridges, 27 overpasses, 11 underpasses, 140 culverts, 37km of river regulation and 28km of dikes.
Bechtel has a long history in Central and Eastern Europe, having built almost 700km of motorways in the region, including Croatia, Albania, Kosovo and Romania. This infrastructure has transformed connectivity, security and economic growth throughout the Balkans region.
