Zagreb Roundabout

The project activities include the retention of the existing roundabout with three drive lanes (basic roundabout), the construction of the additional right road buffers from the basic roundabout to all four driveways as well as the construction of a 280 m long underpass in the east-west direction which is below ground level with two separate tunnel pipes and with the protection from groundwater. Furthermore, the existing tram lines and contact line system in the area of the intervention shall be reconstructed alongside with the entire communal infrastructure which shall be either reconstructed or upgraded (water supply and drainage, gas lines, street lighting, electrical grid and telecommunications network).

The intersection of Jadranska Avenue and Dubrovnik Avenue – Remetinec Roundabout is located in the southwestern part of the city and is one of the busiest city traffic hubs. The external diameter of the rotor is 74 meters long, which makes it the largest roundabout in the city of Zagreb. The existing roundabout consists of three lanes. The access ramps consist of three lanes, two of them to enter the roundabout and one to turn right. The existing solution of the intersection of Jadranska Avenue and Dubrovnik Avenue is not in accordance with the current traffic demands from the aspect of safety. Currently, it is the most unsafe roundabout in Zagreb. In order to address these issues of traffic congestion and safety of the existing roundabout, the City of Zagreb wants, within the specific objective 7a1: Improvement of the TEN-T road network and access to the TEN-T road network of the Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020, to reconstruct the existing level crossing Jadranska avenija and Avenija Dubrovnik. With the Remetinec roundabout reconstruction project, the geometry of the roundabout itself will not change but will remain at the same level. The construction of the underpass on Jadranska Avenue / Dubrovnik Avenue will enable an unobstructed passage of vehicles in the east-west direction and thus unburden the roundabout from the traffic coming from that direction. The intersection itself, all the entrances and the roundabout in front of the entrance, will have traffic lights. Driving through the roundabout will be additionally guided by vertical signalization at the entrance of the roundabout. This traffic solution excludes the intertwining of cars in the roundabout, thus eliminating the possibility of traffic accidents. The project envisages the relocation and construction of a new fiber optic distribution network, water utility infrastructure, gas pipelines, public lighting, landscaping, etc.

The objective of the reconstruction of the Roundabout Remetinec is to increase its traffic flow and its safety. This will be achieved by relieving part of the roundabout traffic in the east-west direction and by eliminating the interweaving of vehicles between lanes in the roundabout.

Roundabout Remetinec is an extremely important access to the TEN-T road network, since traffic to the roundabout and from the roundabout comes from the south, from Split and Rijeka via Karlovac (A1), from Belgrade and Ljubljana (A3) and Maribor (A2). With the construction of new facilities which are located southwest of the roundabout (Arena Zagreb sports hall, Arena shopping center, residential area in Lanište and a number of other shopping facilities), the traffic load of the roundabout was further increased. Currently, the average daily traffic at the roundabout Remetinec is approximately 112 thousand vehicles, which makes it the busiest intersection in Croatia. The capacity of this roundabout, according to the German guidelines for roundabouts (FGSV 242, FGSV Verlag, Koeln 2006), is approximately 50,000 vehicles / day for an intersection with traffic lights. This means that the current traffic load exceeds the capacity of the intersection by more than 120%. The traffic load of this intersection is mainly increased on weekdays during peak hours and on weekends during the tourist season. During these time periods, there are occasional several hours of congestion and traffic disruptions in the wider area of ​​the intersection that need to be regulated by the intervention of the traffic police. Also, the need for the reconstruction of the roundabout Remetinec arises from the safety aspect since it is at the same time one of the busiest and most unsafe roundabouts in Zagreb. According to the data of the Zagreb Police Administration, in the period from 2007 to 2017, 1,004 traffic accidents in which 211 people were slightly injured and 22 were seriously injured, occurred on the roundabout Remetinec. In order to address these problems of traffic congestion and safety of the existing rotor, the City of Zagreb wants, within the specific objective 7a1: Improvement of the TEN-T road network and access to the TEN-T road network of the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020, to reconstruct the existing level crossing Jadranska Avenue and Dubrovnik Avenue. The project for the reconstruction of the roundabout Remetinec will enable an unobstructed traffic in the east-west direction and the roundabout will be relieved of that part of the traffic. This will result in an increased traffic flow and it will shorten the travel time required to pass the roundabout Remetinec. The project also plans traffic lights at the intersection, at all entrances and at the roundabout in front of the entrance as well as a vertical signalization at the entrance to the roundabout. This will eliminate the interweaving of vehicles between lanes in the roundabout and will increase traffic safety. The reconstruction of the roundabout Remetinec will, by increasing its traffic flow and improving its safety, provide better access to the TEN-T road network and enable better connection and mobility of people and goods throughout Croatia and with the rest of the EU.