The
A3 motorway is a major motorway in
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
spanning 306.5 kilometres (190.5 mi). The motorway connects
ZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, the nation's capital, to the
SlavoniaSlavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
region and a number of cities along the Sava River. It represents a major east–west transportation corridor in Croatia and a significant part of the Pan-European Corridor X, serving as a transit route between the
European UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
states and the
BalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. Apart from Zagreb, where the A3 motorway comprises a considerable part of the
Zagreb bypassZagreb bypass , is an U-shaped motorway partially encircling Zagreb, Croatia. The largest part by far, between Jankomir and Ivanja Reka interchanges, has been built between 1977 and 1979, while Ivanja Reka - Sveta Helena section has been built between 1996 and 1999. The bypass is long, tracing...
, the motorway runs near a number of significant Croatian cities. The motorway has a positive
economic impactEconomy of Croatia is a service-based economy with the tertiary sector accounting for 70% of total gross domestic product . Croatian GDP in 2010 was 335.5 billion Croatian Kuna and contracted by 1.4% year-on-year...
on the cities and towns it connects, and is an important route within Croatia.
The motorway consists of two traffic lanes and an emergency lane in each driving direction, separated by a
central reservationOn divided roads, such as divided highways or freeways/motorways, the central reservation , median, parkway , median strip or central nature strip is the area which separates opposing lanes of traffic...
. All intersections of the A3 motorway are
grade separatedGrade separation is the method of aligning a junction of two or more transport axes at different heights so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other. The composition of such transport axes does not have to be uniform; it can consist of a...
, and the motorway comprises several large
stackA stack interchange is a free-flowing grade separated junction between two roads.In countries where one drives on the right, left turns are handled by semi-directional flyover/under ramps...
and
cloverleafA cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
interchanges at junctions with four other motorways in Croatia:
A1The A1 motorway is the longest motorway in Croatia spanning . As it connects Zagreb, the nation's capital, to Split, the second largest city in the country and the largest city in Dalmatia, the motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and a significant part of the...
,
A2The A2 motorway is a motorway in the Hrvatsko Zagorje region of northern Croatia, connecting Zagreb to the Macelj border crossing and Slovenia. The A2 motorway is part of the European route E59 and the Pan-European Corridor Xa...
,
A4The A4 motorway is a motorway in Croatia spanning . It connects the nation's capital, Zagreb, to the city of Varaždin and to Budapest, Hungary via the Goričan border crossing. The motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and is a part of European routes E65...
and
A5The A5 motorway is a motorway in Croatia spanning . It connects Osijek, the largest city in Slavonia region, to the Croatian motorway network at the Sredanci interchange of the A3 motorway. The A5 represents a significant north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and is a part of the...
. As of October 2010, another cloverleaf interchange is under construction on the A3 route, where the
A11 motorwayThe A11 motorway is an incomplete motorway in Croatia, long. It connects Velika Gorica, located south of Zagreb to Buševec exit. Only a fifth of the planned route is complete, and the motorway, when completed, shall span between Jakuševec interchange and Mošćenica near Sisak...
is scheduled to branch off. The route comprises a large number of
bridgeA bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s and
culvertA culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
s, but has no tunnels because it runs through plains. The
Sava River BridgeThe Sava Bridge is located between Kosnica and Ivanja Reka interchanges of the A3 motorway near Zagreb in Croatia, spanning Sava River. It is long, and it comprises four traffic lanes and two emergency lanes. Construction work on the Sava Bridge started in 1977 and was opened to traffic in 1981...
is the most significant structure on the A3. Currently, there are 21 exits and 18
rest areaA rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility, located next to a large thoroughfare such as a highway, expressway, or freeway at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting on to secondary roads...
s operating along the route. A large part of the motorway is
tolledA toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
using a
ticket systemA ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road (also known as closed toll collection system, as opposed to a flat-rate toll road, is utilized by some state toll road or highway agencies that allows a motorist to pay a toll rate based on the number of miles traveled...
; one section uses an open toll collection system. The Zagreb bypass sections are not tolled. The toll is charged according to
vehicle classification in CroatiaThere are two forms of vehicle classification in Croatia. Vehicles are classified by categories in the driving license and by categories for toll highways.- Driving license classification :- Toll categories :...
. The A3 motorway is operated by
Hrvatske autoceste.
Construction of the six-lane motorway began in 1977, initially as the Zagreb bypass, then continued in the 1980s as an expansion of the existing two-lane road between Zagreb and
BelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. The construction was suspended in the first part of the 1990s, due to the
Croatian War of IndependenceThe Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
, and resumed in 1996. Construction of the entire route was completed in 2006; further development entails new exits, new rest areas and the reconstruction of the existing motorway. The construction cost of the A3 motorway is estimated at 7 billion
Croatian kunaThe kuna is the currency of Croatia since 1994 . It is subdivided into 100 lipa. The kuna is issued by the Croatian National Bank and the coins are minted by the Croatian Monetary Institute....
(approximately 958.9 million
euroThe euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
).
Route description
The A3 motorway is a major east–west motorway in
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
connecting the capital of the country,
ZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, to the
SlavoniaSlavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
region, where the motorway follows a route parallel to the Sava River and further on to
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n and
SloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n motorway networks. As a part of the
road network of CroatiaHighways in Croatia are the main transport network in Croatia.The Croatian classification includes several classes of highways:* The main motorways are named A accompanied by one or two digits...
, it represents a part of
European route E70European route E 70 is an A-Class West-East European route, extending from A Coruña in Spain in the west to the Georgian city of Poti in the east.-Itinerary:...
BordeauxBordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
–
TurinTurin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
–
LjubljanaLjubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
–Zagreb–
BelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
–
BucharestBucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. The motorway has facilitated accelerated
economicEconomy of Croatia is a service-based economy with the tertiary sector accounting for 70% of total gross domestic product . Croatian GDP in 2010 was 335.5 billion Croatian Kuna and contracted by 1.4% year-on-year...
development in the regions it connects. The motorway also connects to a number of other motorways in Croatia (from the west to the east): the
A2The A2 motorway is a motorway in the Hrvatsko Zagorje region of northern Croatia, connecting Zagreb to the Macelj border crossing and Slovenia. The A2 motorway is part of the European route E59 and the Pan-European Corridor Xa...
at the
Jankomir interchangeThe Jankomir interchange is a cloverleaf interchange west of Zagreb, Croatia. It is named after nearby Zagreb neighborhood of Jankomir. The interchange represents the southern terminus of the A2 motorway and it connects the A2 route to the A3 motorway representing major a link in the Croatian...
, the
A1The A1 motorway is the longest motorway in Croatia spanning . As it connects Zagreb, the nation's capital, to Split, the second largest city in the country and the largest city in Dalmatia, the motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and a significant part of the...
at
Lučko interchangeThe Lučko interchange is a stack interchange in Zagreb, Croatia. It is named after nearby Zagreb neighborhood of Lučko. The interchange represents the northern terminus of the A1 motorway and it connects the A1 route to the A3 motorway between Jankomir interchange and Buzin exit, also representing...
, the
A4The A4 motorway is a motorway in Croatia spanning . It connects the nation's capital, Zagreb, to the city of Varaždin and to Budapest, Hungary via the Goričan border crossing. The motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and is a part of European routes E65...
at
Ivanja RekaThe Ivanja Reka interchange is a cloverleaf interchange east of Zagreb, Croatia. The interchange represents the southern terminus of the A4 motorway and it connects the A4 route to the A3 motorway representing major a link in the Croatian motorway system. The interchange is a part of Pan-European...
and the
A5The A5 motorway is a motorway in Croatia spanning . It connects Osijek, the largest city in Slavonia region, to the Croatian motorway network at the Sredanci interchange of the A3 motorway. The A5 represents a significant north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and is a part of the...
at the
Sredanci interchangeThe Sredanci interchange is a cloverleaf interchange west of Slavonski Brod, Croatia. It is named after nearby village of Sredanci. As of September 2011, the interchange represents the southern terminus of the A5 motorway and it connects the A5 route to the A3 motorway facilitating a link between...
. As of October 2010, a junction with the
A11The A11 motorway is an incomplete motorway in Croatia, long. It connects Velika Gorica, located south of Zagreb to Buševec exit. Only a fifth of the planned route is complete, and the motorway, when completed, shall span between Jakuševec interchange and Mošćenica near Sisak...
is under construction near
JakuševecJakuševec is a neighborhood in the Novi Zagreb – istok city district of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Located on Sajmišna Road east of Sarajevska Road and Utrine, Travno and Dugave apartment block complexes, the neighborhood is mostly uninhabited, with an area of 455,21 ha and a total population...
.
The motorway spans 306.5 kilometres (190.5 mi) between the
BreganaBregana is a settlement in the Town of Samobor, Zagreb County, Croatia. According to the 2001 census, the town has 2,518 residents living in an area of . Together with the nearby settlements of Podvrh and Klokočevec Samoborski, the town's micropolitan area has 3,450 inhabitants.Together with...
border crossing, located near
SamoborSamobor is a town in the Zagreb County, Croatia. It is part of the Zagreb metropolitan area.-Geography:Samobor is located west of Zagreb, between the eastern slopes of the Samoborsko gorje , in the Sava River valley.-Population:...
, to Slovenia and the Bajakovo border crossing to Serbia, east of
ŽupanjaŽupanja is a city in eastern Slavonia, Croatia, located 254 km east of Zagreb. It is administratively part of the Vukovar-Syrmia county. It is inhabited by 12,185 people ....
. It represents the shortest and the most comfortable transit traffic route between Slovenia, northern Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and southern Germany to the west; and Serbia,
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
,
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
,
MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, Greece, and
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
to the east. The route serves
SisakSisak is a city in central Croatia. The city's population in 2011 was 33,049, with a total of 49,699 in the administrative region and it is also the administrative centre of the Sisak-Moslavina county...
via the
D36D36 is a state road in central Croatia connecting Kupa River area and the city of Sisak to Croatian motorway network at the A3 motorway Popovača interchange and to the D1 state road in Karlovac in immediate vicinity of the A1 motorway Karlovac interchange...
;
Banja Luka-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina via the
D5D5 is a state road in the eastern Croatia the A3 motorway Okučani interchange to a number of cities in the western Slavonia region, including Pakrac and Daruvar, as well as to Drava River valley city of Virovitica...
and
Stara GradiškaStara Gradiška is a village and a municipality in the Brod-Posavina county of Croatia. It has 542 residents, while the municipality has 1,717 , in six other smaller villages...
border crossing;
OsijekOsijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
via the A5; and
VinkovciVinkovci is a city in Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County. In the 2011 census, the total population of the city was 35,375, making it the largest town of the county...
via the
D55D55 state road in the eastern part of Croatia connects the cities and towns of Vukovar, Vinkovci, Županja to the state road network of Croatia, and most notably to the A3 motorway. The road is long...
. The A3 motorway route is complete since no extensions or alterations to the route are planned by applicable legislation.
The A3 motorway consists of two traffic lanes and an
emergency laneA hard shoulder, or simply shoulder, is a reserved area by the verge of a road or motorway. Generally it is kept clear of motor vehicle traffic...
in each driving direction along its entire length. As of September 2010, the motorway has 21 interchanges, providing access to numerous towns and cities and the Croatian state road network. Almost all of the existing interchanges are trumpet interchanges, except for Lučko, which is a
stack interchangeA stack interchange is a free-flowing grade separated junction between two roads.In countries where one drives on the right, left turns are handled by semi-directional flyover/under ramps...
, and Jankomir,
KosnicaVelika Kosnica is a village in Croatia. It is connected by the D3 highway at the A3 interchange....
, Ivanja Reka and Sredanci, which are
cloverleaf interchangeA cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
s. The motorway follows Pan-European Corridor X, and forms junctions with
Pan-European CorridorsThe ten Pan-European transport corridors were defined at the second Pan-European transport Conference in Crete, March 1994, as routes in Central and Eastern Europe that required major investment over the next ten to fifteen years. Additions were made at the third conference in Helsinki in 1997...
Vb and Vc within Croatia.
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, bridges, and in zones where fog is known to occur. The system comprises variable traffic signs used to communicate changing driving conditions, possible restrictions and other information to motorway users.
There are numerous
rest areaA rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility, located next to a large thoroughfare such as a highway, expressway, or freeway at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting on to secondary roads...
s along the motorway, providing various types of services ranging from simple parking spaces and restrooms to filling stations,
restaurantA restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and
motelA motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
s. The A3 motorway is operated by
Hrvatske autoceste, the state-owned company tasked with the management, construction, and maintenance of Croatian motorways.
Zagreb suburban interchanges
The route between Bobovica and Ivanja Reka interchanges (inclusive) serves as a part of Zagreb bypass, and it is therefore not tolled. The A3 section of the bypass also comprises junctions to a number of other motorways: the A1 at the Lučko interchange, the A2 at the Jankomir interchange, and the A4 at the Ivanja Reka interchange. Additionally, a junction with the A11 motorway is under construction (the Jakuševec interchange), and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010. Two interchanges east of Zagreb,
RugvicaRugvica is a municipality in Croatia in the Zagreb county. According to the 2001 census, there are 7,608 inhabitants, absolute majority of which are Croats....
and
KrižKriž is a village and a municipality of western Moslavina, located southeast from Zagreb, near Ivanić-Grad. In the 2011 Croatian census, the population of the Križ municipality numbers 6,962 people, with 1,834 residents in the village itself.-Settlements:...
, have recently been built to fill in 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) gaps between the Ivanja Reka, Ivanić-Grad and
PopovačaPopovača is a municipality in Croatia in the Sisak-Moslavina County. It is part of Moslavina. The municipality has a population of 12,701 , 95% of which are Croats.-External links:**...
interchanges, respectively. Even though the sections east of Ivanja Reka are not parts of Zagreb bypass proper (they are tolled), the area has recently shown a rise in the population as it comprises several Zagreb suburbs and commuter towns. The consequent increase of commuter traffic volume, overall increase of the motorway transit traffic and plans for construction of a Sava River port in Rugvica warranted construction of the additional interchanges.
The A3 section of Zagreb bypass is currently the busiest section of the Croatian motorway network, with
annual average daily traffic (AADT)Average Annual daily traffic, abbreviated AADT, is a measure used primarily in transportation planning and transportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is...
volume exceeding 40,000 vehicles, leading to congestion of the six-lane bypass at peak hours, especially during the summer, when tourist traffic adds to the congestion. The mainline toll plazas at Bobovica and Ivanja Reka can both become bottlenecks at such times. The alternative to the bypass is going through the city via
LjubljanskaLjubljanska Avenue is one of most travelled thoroughfares in Zagreb, Croatia. It is a four-lane divided avenue that runs from the Savska Opatovina rotary in the east to the Jankomir interchange with the Zagreb bypass in the west...
,
ZagrebačkaZagrebačka Avenue is an important east-west avenue in western Zagreb, Croatia. It is a dual carriageway with three lanes in each direction that starts as a continuation of the Slavonska Avenue under the intersection with the Savska Road, ending at the Savska Opatovina roundabout.It was previously...
and
SlavonskaSlavonska Avenue is a controlled-access avenue in Zagreb, Croatia. It is the longest street in Zagreb, being long. It mostly has a speed limit, although the speed is limited to on a short section near the Ivanja Reka interchange with the Zagreb bypass and to on the section between the Ivanja...
avenues. Despite being a shorter and a more direct route, those avenues are much more congested than the bypass at rush hours and they contain
at-grade intersectionAn at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
s and
traffic lightTraffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
s at some of their junctions.
Toll
The A3 is a partially-
tolled motorwayA toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
based on the
vehicle classification in CroatiaThere are two forms of vehicle classification in Croatia. Vehicles are classified by categories in the driving license and by categories for toll highways.- Driving license classification :- Toll categories :...
. The westernmost section of the motorway, spanning the Bobovica interchange and the Bregana border crossing, is tolled at Bregana toll plaza using an open toll collection system; the motorway sections east of Ivanja Reka interchange are tolled using a
closed toll collectionA ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road (also known as closed toll collection system, as opposed to a flat-rate toll road, is utilized by some state toll road or highway agencies that allows a motorist to pay a toll rate based on the number of miles traveled...
system, integrated with the A5 motorway as the two connect at the Sredanci interchange, forming a unified toll collection system. As of October 2010, Bregana toll plaza charges 5.00 kuna (0.68 euro) to
passenger carsAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
and 20.00
kunaThe kuna is the currency of Croatia since 1994 . It is subdivided into 100 lipa. The kuna is issued by the Croatian National Bank and the coins are minted by the Croatian Monetary Institute....
(2.74
euroThe euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
) to
semi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s. The toll charged along the A3 route between Ivanja Reka and Lipovac varies depending on the distance travelled and ranges from 3.00 kuna (0.41 euro) to 105.00 kuna (14.38 euro) for passenger cars and 10.00 kuna (1.37 euro) to 350.00 kuna (47.95 euro) for semi-trailer trucks. The toll is payable in either Croatian kuna or euros and by major credit cards, debit cards and a number of prepaid toll collection systems, including various types of smart cards issued by the motorway operator and
ENC—an
electronic toll collection (ETC)Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...
system which is shared at most motorways in Croatia and provides drivers with discounted toll rates for dedicated lanes at toll plazas.
The toll collected by Hrvatske autoceste along the A3 motorway from January to August 2009 was reported to comprise the largest proportion of the total toll revenue collected by the company for the period: 889.8 million kuna (approximately 121.9 million euro). Even though this figure is not further decomposed into the individual sections of motorway, it is clear from the traffic volume data analysis that the largest portion of the toll revenue is collected on the sections between Zagreb and Slavonski Brod, and especially on those sections closest to the Ivanja Reka interchange.
Summertime and holiday queues at the Ivanja Reka mainline toll plaza can be considerable, a problem exacerbated during the usual weekend-to-weekend tourist stays at Croatia's coastal resorts. In such conditions, motorway users are advised to use the Rugvica and Ivanić Grad exits ahead of the Ivanja Reka interchange to avoid the queues. As of October 2010, the westbound transit traffic approaching the Ivanja Reka interchange must exit the tolled motorway network, since the existing Zagreb bypass is not tolled, and then re-enter another tolled motorway. There are plans for the outer Zagreb bypass to be integrated into the tolled motorway network as the ultimate solution for congestion at the Ivanja Reka toll plaza. That will require reconstruction of the Ivanić Grad interchange east of the Ivanja Reka toll plaza.
Brotherhood and Unity Highway
A modern highway connecting Zagreb and Belgrade was originally designed in the late 1940s, and construction began on April 1, 1948. A substantial portion of the work was carried out by youth from
YugoslaviaThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
and abroad through
youth work actionsYouth work actions were organized voluntary labor activities of young people in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The actions were used to build public infrastructure such as roads, railways, and public buildings, as well as industrial infrastructure...
. Nearly 300,000 youth, including
Yugoslav armyAside from the Yugoslav People's Army, the terms Yugoslav Army, Army of Yugoslavia, or Military of Yugoslavia may refer to:* Yugoslav Partisans , the Yugoslav resistance army during World War II...
soldiers, took part in the construction. The 382 kilometres (237.4 mi) road spanning the two cities, called Brotherhood and Unity Highway before the 1990s, was completed and officially opened on July 27, 1950. Despite being called a motorway , it was a single carriageway, two-lane road with all of its intersections at-grade. Due to a shortage of construction material, the wearing course was executed in various materials—mostly concrete slabs, with some asphalt concrete sections and even some cobblestone-covered sections.
The road was originally designed to carry approximately 9,000 vehicles per day, and the original construction plans provided for subsequent conversion of the road into a four-lane motorway. In 1971, as the road gradually became congested, the plans to build the motorway on the route were approved by the
ParliamentThe Parliament of Croatia or the Sabor is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia and legislature of the country. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, represents the people and is vested with the legislative power...
of the
Socialist Republic of CroatiaSocialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...
. Unlike the other two motorway plans approved by the Croatian government, Zagreb–
SplitSplit is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
and Zagreb–
RijekaRijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, which were cancelled after the suppression of the
Croatian SpringThe Croatian Spring was a political movement from the early 1970s that called for greater rights for Croatia which was then part of Yugoslavia as well as democratic and economic reforms.-History:...
, the Zagreb–Belgrade motorway plans remained in place and an expansion of the existing motorway into a dual-carriageway, six-lane motorway with exclusively grade-separated intersections proceeded. The additional carriageway was to be built south of the existing road, which was in turn to be widened to accommodate two traffic lanes and an emergency lane.
Prewar construction and wartime use
Construction of the A3 motorway in Croatia in its present form started in 1977, when the first six-lane (including emergency lanes) sections were constructed as a part of the Zagreb bypass. In 1979, the 5.85 kilometres (3.6 mi) section connecting the Jankomir and Lučko interchanges was the first to be completed. The 22.15 kilometres (13.8 mi) section between the Lučko and Ivanja Reka interchanges was opened in 1981, marking the completion of the A3 section of the Zagreb bypass. Unlike the remainder of the motorway, which was constructed by widening the existing road and adding the additional carriageway, these two sections were built entirely from scratch.
The first part of the six-lane motorway to be completed east of Zagreb was the 76.52 kilometres (47.5 mi) section between Ivanja Reka and
LipovljaniLipovljani is a municipality in Croatian Slavonia in the Sisak-Moslavina county. It has a population of 4,101 , 85.7% which are Croats. Other notable minorities are Ukrainians , Slovaks , and Czechs...
, immediately to the east of the present day Lipovljani rest area; this was done in 1980. In order to maintain the flow of traffic on the Zagreb–Belgrade road during construction, the southern carriageway was completed first, and then the two-way traffic was rerouted to the new carriageway while the old, northern carriageway was widened and its pavement structure was replaced with a new one. Similarly, as the new carriageway extended further eastward, the at-grade intersections were replaced by interchanges or flyovers. In 1985, the motorway was extended by 35.82 kilometres (22.3 mi) to
OkučaniOkučani is a village in western Slavonia, Croatia. It is located at the contact point between the Posavina plain and the southern slopes of Psunj; 19 km southeast of Novska and 17 km west of Nova Gradiška; elevation 119 m. Chief occupations are farming, livestock breeding, fishing and...
, and in 1986 by another 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) to Prvča, near
Nova GradiškaNova Gradiška is a city located in the Brod-Posavina County of Croatia, population 14,196 . It is located in the historic region of Slavonia, near the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina....
. Two further extensions of the motorway happened in 1988 and 1989—those were a 40.56 kilometres (25.2 mi) extension to
Brodski StupnikBrodski Stupnik is a municipality in Brod-Posavina County, Croatia. There are 3,526 inhabitants in which 95% declare themselves Croats Brodski Stupnik is a centre for Wine making.There are several Hotel's and vinyard's....
and another 8.8 kilometres (5.5 mi) one to Slavonski Brod and the present-day Slavonski Brod zapad (west) interchange. In 1991, the motorway reached beyond Slavonski Brod as it was extended once more by 11.4 kilometres (7.1 mi), to the Slavonski Brod istok (east) interchange.
Further construction of the motorway was suspended by the onset of the
Croatian War of IndependenceThe Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
. In October 1991, a part of the motorway between
NovskaNovska is a town in Croatian Slavonia, located between Kutina and Nova Gradiška, southeast of the capital, Zagreb. It has a total population of 13,573 in the following settlements:* Bair, population 6* Borovac, population 276* Brestača, population 911...
and Nova Gradiška became inaccessible to the government of the Republic of Croatia due to military occupation of the area by the forces of the so-called
SAO Western SlavoniaSAO Western Slavonia or Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Western Slavonia was a Serbian self-proclaimed autonomous region within Croatia. It was formed on 12 August 1991 and was subsequently included into Republic of Serbian Krajina...
. Consequently, the Novska–Nova Gradiška section was closed to all traffic. On December 21, 1994, negotiations led to the reopening of that section for transit traffic. However, the section remained unsafe for use as intermittent violence continued until May 1995, when the area was
overrun by the Croatian armyThe Serbs in western Slavonia took part in the organized rebellion against the government of the Republic of Croatia that had just proclaimed independence in June 1991, by proclaiming the Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Western Slavonia in August 1991...
. Inspection of the motorway section carried out at the time revealed damage to a viaduct carrying the motorway over the Zagreb–Sisak–Vinkovci railroad and a local road near Novska. Besides the overall lack of maintenance during the period, the pavement and a number of flyovers were damaged by artillery bombardments, and the flyover approach embankments were damaged where trenches were dug.
Postwar reconstruction and completion
After the war, construction and reconstruction work resumed on the A3 motorway. The battle damage was the first to be addressed, along with removal of the trenches excavated in the flyover embankments. Similarly,
unexploded ordnanceUnexploded ordnance are explosive weapons that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, potentially many decades after they were used or discarded.While "UXO" is widely and informally used, munitions and explosives of...
and minefields left around the motorway had to be removed by
minesweepersDemining or mine clearance is the process of removing either land mines, or naval mines, from an area, while minesweeping describes the act of detecting of mines. There are two distinct types of mine detection and removal: military and humanitarian.Minesweepers use many tools in order to accomplish...
. The motorway pavement was seriously deteriorated, as evidenced by extensive ruts and cracks incurred during the four-year wartime period. Unlike repairs made to the viaducts and flyovers, mine clearance and pavement reconstruction took considerably more time to perform.
In 1996, the motorway was extended for the first time after the war. This 10.9 kilometres (6.8 mi) extension reached to
OprisavciOprisavci is a village and municipality in Brod-Posavina County, Croatia. There are 2,942 inhabitants in which 98% declare themselves Croats , although many of the village inhabitants are of Carpatho Rusyn Ukrainian descent and a Ukrainian Greek Catholic church still stands in the...
, west of the present-day Sredanci interchange. In 1999, another 16.9 kilometres (10.5 mi) section was completed, stretching to
Velika KopanicaVelika Kopanica is a village and municipality in Brod-Posavina County, Croatia. There are 3,570 inhabitants in which 98% declare themselves Croats Velika Kopanica is also a birthplace of the great 19th century Croatian educational pedagogist Ivan Filipović-External links:*...
. The single westward extension of the motorway came about in 2002 as the A3 motorway was extended 13.67 kilometres (8.5 mi) from Jankomir westward to the Bregana border crossing into Slovenia. The eastward advance of the A3 motorway continued in 2002, as it was extended by 25.95 kilometres (16.1 mi) to Županja, while the easternmost 30.42 kilometres (18.9 mi) section between Županja and the Bajakovo border crossing into Serbia was opened in 2006, thus completing the six-lane A3 motorway. The D4 state road was thus entirely replaced by the A3 motorway. The total investment value of the A3 motorway construction is estimated at 7 billion Croatian kuna (approximately 958.9 million euro), making the A3 the least expensive motorway in Croatia.
Further construction
Since the A3 motorway was completed in 2006, further construction on the A3 only consists of the addition of interchanges and rest areas. Currently, three additional A3 interchanges are in various stages of construction or planning: Jakuševec, Sveta Klara and Ivanić Grad. The Jakuševec interchange is planned to be a cloverleaf interchange connecting the A3 to the A11 motorway and the city of Zagreb via Sarajevska road, comprising a part of Zagreb bypass, and is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2010. The Sveta Klara interchange is planned to provide another connection to the city of Zagreb (via Većeslava Holjevca Avenue). The interchange is designed as a trumpet. When both the Jakuševec and Sveta Klara interchanges are completed, the
BuzinBuzin is a village in Croatia. It is located just south of the Zagreb bypass and the adjacent D3/A3 interchange is named after it....
interchange is scheduled to be removed. Finally, the Kosnica interchange, although itself complete, still lacks some access ramps to the south, to the
D31 state roadD31 is a state road in central Croatia connecting Velika Gorica and Glina to Croatian motorway network at the A11 motorway Velika gorica jug interchange. The road is long....
.
The present Ivanić Grad interchange connects the
D43 state roadD43 is a state road in the central Croatia connecting Đurđevac, Bjelovar, Čazma and Ivanić Grad to the A3 motorway at its southern terminus, within Ivanić Grad interchange...
to the A3 motorway near the city of Ivanić Grad, however, the interchange is scheduled to be reconstructed to accommodate a new motorway planned as an outer, tolled Zagreb bypass. The reconstruction is currently in the planning stages. Two further interchanges are planned: (1) Godinjak, to be located between the existing Nova Gradiška and
Lužani interchanges, connecting to
PožegaPožega is a city in western Slavonia, eastern Croatia, with a total population of 26,403 . It is the administrative center of the Požega-Slavonia County.-Geography:...
; and (2) Lipovljani, located between the existing
KutinaKutina is a small city in central Croatia, the largest settlement in the hilly region of Moslavina, in the Sisak-Moslavina county. The town proper has a population of 14,814 , while the total municipality population is 22,815....
and Novska interchanges. These are included in applicable spatial planning documents and their designs are in development, however funding is yet to be secured. Finally, the Andautonija rest area is planned for the A3 section of the Zagreb bypass between the Jakuševec and Kosnica interchanges. It is planned to be an "A-type" rest area, which normally comprises a filling station, a restaurant and a motel.
Traffic volume
Traffic is regularly counted by means of a traffic census at toll stations and reported by Hrvatske autoceste. The reported traffic volume gradually decreases as the motorway chainage increases and as it passes by various major destinations and the interchanges that serve them. Thus the greatest volume of traffic is registered along Zagreb bypass, especially the Jankomir–Lučko section, with 41,549 vehicle annual average daily traffic (AADT). The busiest tolled section of the motorway is Ivanja Reka–Rugvica with 27,049 AADT and 34,543 vehicle average summer daily traffic (ASDT) figures. The traffic volume gradually decreases from that section eastward to the eastern terminus of the motorway, where the lowest AADT and ASDT figures are recorded. The traffic volume decrease is somewhat more pronounced at interchanges serving Slavonski Brod and the A5 motorway (Sredanci). The seasonal traffic volume variation ranges from a 28% increase on the busiest, Ivanja Reka–Rugvica, section to a 75% volume increase, as measured on the Županja–
SpačvaSpačva is a small geographical region in Croatia. It is located in south-western Syrmia, around Spačva river. There is also a place named Spačva, which is situated in this region.-See also:*Syrmia...
section. Average summer season traffic volume increase on the motorway is 55%. The AADT/ASDT ratio analysis does not include Zagreb bypass, as there are no ASDT data available for the bypass.
| A3 traffic volume details |
| Road |
Counting site |
AADT |
ASDT |
Section |
| A3 |
1910 Bobovica - west |
9,046 |
14,065 |
Bregana border crossing–Bobovica |
| A3 |
1909 Bregana |
9,444* |
14,786* |
Bregana toll plaza–Bobovica; Estimates by Hrvatske ceste Hrvatske ceste is a Croatian state-owned company pursuant to provisions of the Croatian Public Roads Act , the county and local roads are managed by county authorities, while the motorways are managed by Croatian Motorways Ltd and other concessionaires.The company is currently administered by a...
|
| A3 |
- |
29,035 |
|
Sveta Nedjelja–Jankomir (2004) |
| A3 |
- |
41,549 |
|
Jankomir–Lučko (2004) |
| A3 |
- |
34,281 |
|
Lučko–Buzin (2004) |
| A3 |
- |
36,393 |
|
Buzin–Ivanja Reka (2004) |
| A3 |
2013 Ivanja Reka - east |
27,046 |
34,543 |
Ivanja Reka–Rugvica |
| A3 |
2027 Rugvica - east |
24,508 |
32,159 |
Rugvica–Ivanić Grad |
| A3 |
2114 Ivanić Grad - east |
21,055 |
28,861 |
Ivanić Grad–Križ |
| A3 |
2121 Križ - east |
20,215 |
28,061 |
Križ–Popovača |
| A3 |
2118 Popovača - east |
19,973 |
28,090 |
Popovača–Kutina |
| A3 |
3302 Kutina - east |
17,286 |
25,113 |
Kutina–Novska |
| A3 |
3405 Novska - east |
16,187 |
23,710 |
Novska–Okučani |
| A3 |
3407 Okučani - east |
14,924 |
21,911 |
Okučani–Nova Gradiška |
| A3 |
3510 Nova Gradiška - east |
13,888 |
20,667 |
Nova Gradiška–Lužani |
| A3 |
3514 Lužani - east |
13,770 |
20,515 |
Lužani–Slavonski Brod zapad (west) |
| A3 |
3511 Slavonski Brod zapad (west) - east |
10,581 |
16,464 |
Slavonski Brod zapad (west)–Slavonski Brod istok (east) |
| A3 |
3609 Slavonski Brod istok (east) - east |
11,888 |
17,742 |
Slavonski Brod istok (east)–Sredanci |
| A3 |
3617 Sredanci - east |
9,571 |
15,183 |
Sredanci–Velika Kopanica |
| A3 |
3613 Velika Kopanica - east |
8,675 |
14,049 |
Velika Kopanica–Babina Greda |
| A3 |
3714 Babina Greda - east |
8,772 |
14,190 |
Babina Greda–Županja |
| A3 |
3716 Županja - east |
5,925 |
10,350 |
Županja–Spačva |
| A3 |
3807 Spačva - east |
5,865 |
10,266 |
Spačva–Lipovac |
Rest areas
As of October 2010, there are 18 rest areas operating along the A3 motorway, and additional rest areas are planned along the existing sections of the route. 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
hotelA hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
or a motel; B-type rest areas have no lodging; C-type rest areas are very common and include a filling station and a
caféA café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
, but no restaurants or accommodations; D-type rest areas offer parking spaces only, possibly some picnicking tables, benches and restrooms. Even though the rest areas found along the A3 motorway generally follow this ranking system, there are considerable variations, as some of them offer extra services. The filling stations regularly have small convenience stores and some of them offer LPG fuel.
The primary motorway operator, Hrvatske autoceste (HAC), leases the A, B and C type rest areas to various operators through public tenders. As of October 2010, there are three such rest area operators on the A3 motorway: INA, Nafta Promet and INA Osijek Petrol. The rest area operators are not permitted to sub-lease the fuel operations. Most of the A3 motorway rest areas are accessible to both directions of traffic. There are however rest areas which are available only to the eastbound traffic (e.g. Lužani and Brodski Stupnik rest areas) or to westbound traffic only, like Slaven and Staro Petrovo Selo rest areas. Furthermore, some rest areas offer different types of amenities to each direction of the traffic. The rest areas normally operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, except Stari Hrastovi (eastbound) rest area, which is open from 7 am to 6 pm.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| align=center bgcolor=#f2f2f2 colspan= 5 |
List of A3 motorway rest areas
|-
| align=center bgcolor=#f2f2f2 |
County
| align=center bgcolor=#f2f2f2 |
km
| align=center bgcolor=#f2f2f2 |
Name
| align=center bgcolor=#f2f2f2 |
Operators
| align=center bgcolor=#f2f2f2 |
Notes
|-
|
Zagreb CountyZagreb County is a county in central Croatia. It surrounds – but does not contain – the nation's capital Zagreb, which is a separate territorial unit. For that reason, it is often nicknamed "Zagreb ring"...
| 4.2
| Gradna rest area
| INA
| Facilities found at the Gradna rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol, diesel fuel and LPG, a café and restrooms.
|-
|
City of ZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
| 17.1
| Lučko
| INA
| Facilities found at the Lučko rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a café, a motel, an
RV parkA recreational vehicle park or caravan park is a place where people with recreational vehicles can stay overnight, or longer, in alloted spaces known as "pitches"...
, picnicking tables and restrooms.
|-
| rowspan=2|
Zagreb CountyZagreb County is a county in central Croatia. It surrounds – but does not contain – the nation's capital Zagreb, which is a separate territorial unit. For that reason, it is often nicknamed "Zagreb ring"...
| 54.8
| Ježevo
| INA
| Facilities found at the Ježevo rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol, diesel fuel and LPG, a motel, a restaurant, a café and restrooms. The motel and the restaurant are accessible to the eastbound traffic only.
|-
| 77.1
| Križ
| INA
| Facilities found at the Križ rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a motel, a restaurant, a café, picnicking tables and restrooms. The motel and the restaurant are accessible to the eastbound traffic only.
|-
| rowspan=3|
Sisak‑MoslavinaSisak-Moslavina County is a Croatian county in eastern Central Croatia and southwestern Slavonia. It is named after the city of Sisak and the region Moslavina just across the river Sava. According to 2001 census it is inhabited by 185 thousand people....
| 90.2
|
| INA
| Facilities found at the Stari Hrastovi rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a motel, a restaurant, a café, picnicking tables and restrooms. The filling station is available to both traffic directions, but all other facilities are available to the westbound traffic only.
|-
| 116.5
| Lipovljani
| INA
| Facilities found at the Lipovljani rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a restaurant, a café, picnicking tables and restrooms. The picnicking tables are available to the eastbound traffic only.
|-
| 133.1
| Novska
| INA
| Facilities found at the Novska rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a café and restrooms.
|-
| rowspan=7|
Brod‑PosavinaBrod-Posavina County is the southern Slavonian county in Croatia. Its center is the city of Slavonski Brod and it spreads along the left bank of the Sava river, hence the name Posavina...
| 157.6
|
| HAC
| Facilities found at the Nova Gradiška rest area comprise a restaurant, a café and restrooms. The facilities are available to the eastbound traffic only. Only a parking area is available to the westbound traffic.
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |164.8
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Slaven
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |INA
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Facilities found at the Slaven rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a motel, a restaurant, a café, picnicking tables and restrooms. The rest area is available to the westbound traffic only.
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |175.5
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |INA
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Facilities found at the Staro Petrovo Selo rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a motel, a restaurant and restrooms. The rest area is available to the westbound traffic only.
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |191.6
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Lužani
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Nafta Promet
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Facilities found at the Lužani rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a motel, a restaurant and restrooms. The rest area is available to the eastbound traffic only.
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |201.4
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Nafta Promet
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Facilities found at the Brodski Stupnik rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a café and restrooms. The rest area is available to the eastbound traffic only.
|-
| 216.5
| Marsonija
| INA
| Facilities found at the Marsonija rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol, diesel fuel and LPG and restrooms. The LPG filling station is available to the eastbound traffic only, while the restrooms are available to the westbound traffic only.
|-
| 238.4
| Sredanci
| INA
| Facilities found at the Sredanci rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a restaurant, a café and restrooms. The facilities are available to the eastbound traffic only. Only a parking area is available to the westbound traffic.
|-
| rowspan=4|
Vukovar‑SrijemVukovar-Syrmia county is the easternmost Croatian county. It includes the eastern parts of Slavonia and western parts of Syrmia regions; but also the lower Sava river basin ....
| 258.7
|
|
| Facilities found at the Babina Greda rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a café and restrooms. The facilities are available to the eastbound traffic only. Only a parking area is available to the westbound traffic.
|-
| 271.3
| Rastovica
| INA
| Facilities found at the Rastovica rest area comprise a filling station selling petrol and diesel fuel, a café and restrooms. The facilities are available to the westbound traffic only. Only a parking area is available to the eastbound traffic.
|-
| 283.1
| Bošnjaci
| HAC
| Facilities found at the Bošnjaci rest area comprise picnicking tables and restrooms.
|-
| 298.4
| Spačva
| HAC
| Facilities found at the Spačva rest area comprise a motel, a restaurant and restrooms.
Exit list
These are the exits on the A3 motorway, including those under construction.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!scope="col"|County
!scope="col"|km
!scope="col"|Exit
!scope="col"|Name
!scope="col"|Destination
!scope="col"|Notes
|-
| rowspan= 5|
Zagreb CountyZagreb County is a county in central Croatia. It surrounds – but does not contain – the nation's capital Zagreb, which is a separate territorial unit. For that reason, it is often nicknamed "Zagreb ring"...
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |0.0
| bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center |
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |Bregana border crossing
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
A2
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
Border crossingBorder Crossing may refer to:* Border Crossing , an album by saxophonist Mike Osborne.* Border Crossing , a UK hip hop collective musical group.* Border Crossing , a 2001 novel by English author Pat Barker....
to
SloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
.
The motorway extends as Slovenian A2 motorway.
The western terminus of the motorway and the western terminus of European route E70
concurrencyA concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
.
|-
| 1.0
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Bregana toll plaza
|-
| 2.5
| align=center | 1
|
BobovicaBobovica is a village in the municipality of Trnovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-References:...
|
| Links
SamoborSamobor is a town in the Zagreb County, Croatia. It is part of the Zagreb metropolitan area.-Geography:Samobor is located west of Zagreb, between the eastern slopes of the Samoborsko gorje , in the Sava River valley.-Population:...
,
BreganaBregana is a settlement in the Town of Samobor, Zagreb County, Croatia. According to the 2001 census, the town has 2,518 residents living in an area of . Together with the nearby settlements of Podvrh and Klokočevec Samoborski, the town's micropolitan area has 3,450 inhabitants.Together with...
and
ŽumberakŽumberak or Gorjanci is a range of mountains or hills between Croatia and Slovenia. The highest peak is Sveta Gera on the border between Croatia and Slovenia, being tall....
nature park
|-
| 4.2
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Gradna rest area
|-
| 8.8
| align=center | 2
|
Sveta NedjeljaSveta Nedelja is a town in Zagreb County, Croatia.- Geography :Sveta Nedelja is situated west of Zagreb near the town of Samobor. The name of the town means "Holy Sunday"...
|
| Links Samobor and Sveta Nedjelja
|-
| rowspan= 6|
City of ZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
| 14.6
| align=center | 3
|
JankomirThe Jankomir interchange is a cloverleaf interchange west of Zagreb, Croatia. It is named after nearby Zagreb neighborhood of Jankomir. The interchange represents the southern terminus of the A2 motorway and it connects the A2 route to the A3 motorway representing major a link in the Croatian...
|
| Connection to A2 motorway and to the City of Zagreb via
Ljubljanska AvenueLjubljanska Avenue is one of most travelled thoroughfares in Zagreb, Croatia. It is a four-lane divided avenue that runs from the Savska Opatovina rotary in the east to the Jankomir interchange with the Zagreb bypass in the west...
.
The western terminus of the D1 state road concurrency; the D1 is not signposted along the A3.
|-
| 17.1
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Lučko rest area
|-
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |19.5
| bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center | 4
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
LučkoThe Lučko interchange is a stack interchange in Zagreb, Croatia. It is named after nearby Zagreb neighborhood of Lučko. The interchange represents the northern terminus of the A1 motorway and it connects the A1 route to the A3 motorway between Jankomir interchange and Buzin exit, also representing...
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |Connection to A1 motorway and to the City of Zagreb via
Jadranska AvenueJadranska Avenue is a mostly six-lane controlled-access avenue in the Novi Zagreb – zapad city district of southwestern Zagreb, Croatia. Legally designated as a part of County road Ž1040, it runs between the Remetinec Roundabout and the Zagreb bypass, acting as an important thoroughfare both...
.
The western terminus of European routes E65/E71 concurrency.
The eastern terminus of the D1 state road concurrency and the western terminus of D3 state road concurrency; the state roads are not signposted along the A3.
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdead |26.2
| bgcolor=#ffdead align=center | 4a
| bgcolor=#ffdead |Sveta Klara
| bgcolor=#ffdead |
| bgcolor=#ffdead |A planned connection to the City of Zagreb via
Novi ZagrebNovi Zagreb is the part of the city of Zagreb located south of the Sava river, on the way from the Pleso airport to the city center...
and Većeslava Holjevca Avenue
|-
| 27.3
| align=center | 5
|
BuzinBuzin is a village in Croatia. It is located just south of the Zagreb bypass and the adjacent D3/A3 interchange is named after it....
|
| Connection to the City of Zagreb via Savezne Republike Njemačke Street and Novi Zagreb, Zagreb airport and to
Velika GoricaVelika Gorica is the largest and most populous city in Zagreb County, Croatia. The city itself has a population of 31,341, while the municipality has a population of 63,511 inhabitants .Velika Gorica is the centre of the historical Turopolje region....
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdead |28.3
| bgcolor=#ffdead align=center | 5b
| bgcolor=#ffdead |
JakuševecJakuševec is a neighborhood in the Novi Zagreb – istok city district of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Located on Sajmišna Road east of Sarajevska Road and Utrine, Travno and Dugave apartment block complexes, the neighborhood is mostly uninhabited, with an area of 455,21 ha and a total population...
| bgcolor=#ffdead |
| bgcolor=#ffdead |Interchange to the A11 motorway (under construction), providing connections to Zagreb via Sarajevska Road and to Velika Gorica.
Construction of the interchange is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2010. Until that time, an 80 km/h speed limit applies in the zone of the interchange.
|-
| rowspan= 9|
Zagreb CountyZagreb County is a county in central Croatia. It surrounds – but does not contain – the nation's capital Zagreb, which is a separate territorial unit. For that reason, it is often nicknamed "Zagreb ring"...
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |35.5
| bgcolor=#ffdddd align=center | 5a
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |
KosnicaVelika Kosnica is a village in Croatia. It is connected by the D3 highway at the A3 interchange....
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Connection to the City of Zagreb via Radnička Road (Ž1029 to the north) and to Velika Gorica and Zagreb Airport (D31 to the south; the southern ramp under construction as of October 2010)
|-
| 39.6
| colspan=4 align=center|
Sava River BridgeThe Sava Bridge is located between Kosnica and Ivanja Reka interchanges of the A3 motorway near Zagreb in Croatia, spanning Sava River. It is long, and it comprises four traffic lanes and two emergency lanes. Construction work on the Sava Bridge started in 1977 and was opened to traffic in 1981...
|-
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |40.3
| bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center | 6
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
Ivanja RekaThe Ivanja Reka interchange is a cloverleaf interchange east of Zagreb, Croatia. The interchange represents the southern terminus of the A4 motorway and it connects the A4 route to the A3 motorway representing major a link in the Croatian motorway system. The interchange is a part of Pan-European...
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |Connection to A4 motorway and the City of Zagreb via
Slavonska AvenueSlavonska Avenue is a controlled-access avenue in Zagreb, Croatia. It is the longest street in Zagreb, being long. It mostly has a speed limit, although the speed is limited to on a short section near the Ivanja Reka interchange with the Zagreb bypass and to on the section between the Ivanja...
.
The eastern terminus of European routes E65/E71 concurrency.
The eastern terminus of D3 state road concurrency; the D3 is not signposted along the A3.
|-
| 42.9
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Ivanja Reka toll plaza
|-
| 48.7
| align=center | 6a
|
RugvicaRugvica is a municipality in Croatia in the Zagreb county. According to the 2001 census, there are 7,608 inhabitants, absolute majority of which are Croats....
|
| Connection to
Dugo Selo-Geography:Dugo Selo is a 20 km drive from Zagreb city centre.The town covers an area of 51 km² and it consists of numerous settlements. The summit of the hill Martin Breg is situated in the northern part of the town. Most neighborhoods of Dugo Selo are located on the Martin Breg...
|-
| 54.8
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Ježevo rest area
|-
| 65.3
| align=center | 7
|
Ivanić GradIvanić-Grad is a town in Zagreb County, Croatia. It is part of Moslavina.-Geography:Ivanić-Grad is located south-east from Zagreb, connected: by highway A3 by train on direction Zagreb - Slavonski Brod - Vinkovci.-Population:In the 2001 census, the total population is 14,544, in the following...
|
| Connection to Ivanić Grad and
ČazmaČazma is a town and municipality in Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Croatia. It is part of Moslavina.-Geography:Čazma is situated 60 kilometers east of Zagreb and only 30 kilometres from the center of the region - Bjelovar....
|-
| 74.6
| align=center | 7a
|
KrižKriž is a village and a municipality of western Moslavina, located southeast from Zagreb, near Ivanić-Grad. In the 2011 Croatian census, the population of the Križ municipality numbers 6,962 people, with 1,834 residents in the village itself.-Settlements:...
|
| Connection to Križ
|-
| 77.1
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Križ rest area
|-
| rowspan=6|
Sisak‑MoslavinaSisak-Moslavina County is a Croatian county in eastern Central Croatia and southwestern Slavonia. It is named after the city of Sisak and the region Moslavina just across the river Sava. According to 2001 census it is inhabited by 185 thousand people....
| 88.2
| align=center | 8
|
PopovačaPopovača is a municipality in Croatia in the Sisak-Moslavina County. It is part of Moslavina. The municipality has a population of 12,701 , 95% of which are Croats.-External links:**...
|
| Connection to Popovača,
SisakSisak is a city in central Croatia. The city's population in 2011 was 33,049, with a total of 49,699 in the administrative region and it is also the administrative centre of the Sisak-Moslavina county...
and
Lonjsko poljeLonjsko Polje is the largest protected wetland in both Croatia and the entire Danube basin. It covers an area of , extending along the river Sava from the areas east of Sisak, the lower course of the river Lonja for which it is named, to the areas west of Nova Gradiška, along the course of the...
nature park
|-
| 90.2
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Stari Hrastovi rest area
|-
| 105.9
| align=center | 9
|
KutinaKutina is a small city in central Croatia, the largest settlement in the hilly region of Moslavina, in the Sisak-Moslavina county. The town proper has a population of 14,814 , while the total municipality population is 22,815....
|
| Connection to Kutina and
GarešnicaGarešnica is a town and municipality in Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Croatia. It is part of Moslavina. There are a total of 10,466 inhabitants . , 82% of the inhabitants are Croats....
|-
| 116.5
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Lipovljani rest area
|-
| 127.1
| align=center | 10
|
NovskaNovska is a town in Croatian Slavonia, located between Kutina and Nova Gradiška, southeast of the capital, Zagreb. It has a total population of 13,573 in the following settlements:* Bair, population 6* Borovac, population 276* Brestača, population 911...
|
| Connection to Novska,
JasenovacJasenovac is a village and a municipality in Croatian Slavonia, in the southern part of the Sisak-Moslavina county at the confluence of the river Una into Sava.The name means "ash tree" or "ash forest" in Croatian, the area being ringed by such a forest....
and
Lipik-Settlements:The settlements included in the administrative area of Lipik include:* Antunovac, population 365* Bjelanovac, population 10* Brekinska, population 126* Brezine, population 223* Bujavica, population 33* Bukovčani, population 16...
|-
| 133.1
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Novska rest area
|-
| rowspan=14 |
Brod‑PosavinaBrod-Posavina County is the southern Slavonian county in Croatia. Its center is the city of Slavonski Brod and it spreads along the left bank of the Sava river, hence the name Posavina...
| 151.9
| align=center | 11
|
OkučaniOkučani is a village in western Slavonia, Croatia. It is located at the contact point between the Posavina plain and the southern slopes of Psunj; 19 km southeast of Novska and 17 km west of Nova Gradiška; elevation 119 m. Chief occupations are farming, livestock breeding, fishing and...
|
| Connection to Okučani,
PakracPakrac is a town in western Slavonia, Croatia, population 4,852, total municipality population 8,482 . Pakrac is located on the road and railroad connecting the regions of Posavina and Podravina.-Name:...
, Lipik,
DaruvarDaruvar is a town in central Croatia, population 9,815 , total municipality population 13,243 ....
and
Banja Luka-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
,
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
|-
| 157.6
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Nova Gradiška rest area
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |164.8
| bgcolor=#ffdddd align=center |
| bgcolor=#ffdddd colspan=2 |Slaven rest area
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Accessible to westbound traffic only
|-
| 167.4
| align=center | 12
|
Nova GradiškaNova Gradiška is a city located in the Brod-Posavina County of Croatia, population 14,196 . It is located in the historic region of Slavonia, near the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina....
|
| Connection to Nova Gradiška and
PožegaPožega is a city in western Slavonia, eastern Croatia, with a total population of 26,403 . It is the administrative center of the Požega-Slavonia County.-Geography:...
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |175.5
| bgcolor=#ffdddd align=center |
| bgcolor=#ffdddd colspan=2 |Staro Petrovo Selo rest area
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Accessible to westbound traffic only
|-
| 189.9
| align=center | 13
|
Lužani
|
| Connection to Lužani,
PleternicaPleternica is a town in the region of Slavonia, Croatia, southeast of Požega, in the Požega Valley . The population of the municipality is 11,286, with 3,443 in Pleternica itself ....
and Požega
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |191.6
| bgcolor=#ffdddd align=center |
| bgcolor=#ffdddd colspan=2 |Lužani rest area
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Accessible to eastbound traffic only
|-
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |201.4
| bgcolor=#ffdddd align=center |
| bgcolor=#ffdddd colspan= 2 |Brodski Stupnik rest area
| bgcolor=#ffdddd |Accessible to eastbound traffic only
|-
| 211.1
| align=center | 14
|
Slavonski Brod - zapadSlavonski Brod is a city in Croatia, with a population of 59,507 in 2011. The city was known as Marsonia in the Roman Empire, and as Brod na Savi 1244–1934. It is the sixth largest city in Croatia, after Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek and Zadar. Located in the region of Slavonia, it is the...
|
| Western connection to Slavonski Brod
|-
| 216.5
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Marsonija rest area
|-
| 221.6
| align=center | 15
| Slavonski Brod - istok
|
| Eastern connection to Slavonski Brod
|-
| 238.4
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Sredanci rest area
|-
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |241.4
| bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center | 16
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
SredanciThe Sredanci interchange is a cloverleaf interchange west of Slavonski Brod, Croatia. It is named after nearby village of Sredanci. As of September 2011, the interchange represents the southern terminus of the A5 motorway and it connects the A5 route to the A3 motorway facilitating a link between...
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |Connection to A5 motorway linking
OsijekOsijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
to the north.
The western terminus of European route E73 concurrency.
|-
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |249.2
| bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center | 17
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
Velika KopanicaVelika Kopanica is a village and municipality in Brod-Posavina County, Croatia. There are 3,570 inhabitants in which 98% declare themselves Croats Velika Kopanica is also a birthplace of the great 19th century Croatian educational pedagogist Ivan Filipović-External links:*...
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |Connection to Velika Kopanica and
Slavonski ŠamacSlavonski Šamac is a village and a port on the river Sava in Croatia. The town is located in Brod-Posavina county in the region of Slavonia. The population of Slavonski Šamac itself is 1,256 ; the municipality, which includes the village of Kruševica, has a total population of 2,649.On the opposite...
.
The eastern terminus of European route E73 concurrency.
|-
| rowspan=10 |Vukovar‑Srijem
| 258.7
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Babina Greda rest area
|-
| 261.8
| align=center | 18
|
Babina GredaBabina Greda is a village and a municipality in Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The 2011 census listed 3,585 inhabitants in Babina Greda....
|
| Connection to Babina Greda and Slavonski Šamac.
|-
| 271.3
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Rastovica rest area
|-
| 274.0
| align=center | 19
|
ŽupanjaŽupanja is a city in eastern Slavonia, Croatia, located 254 km east of Zagreb. It is administratively part of the Vukovar-Syrmia county. It is inhabited by 12,185 people ....
|
| Connection to Županja,
VinkovciVinkovci is a city in Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County. In the 2011 census, the total population of the city was 35,375, making it the largest town of the county...
,
VukovarVukovar is a city in eastern Croatia, and the biggest river port in Croatia located at the confluence of the Vuka river and the Danube. Vukovar is the center of the Vukovar-Syrmia County...
and
OrašjeOrašje is a town in the northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on the river Sava on the border with Croatia. Orašje is the center of the Posavina Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
|-
| 283.1
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Bošnjaci rest area
|-
| 291.2
| align=center | 20
|
SpačvaSpačva is a small geographical region in Croatia. It is located in south-western Syrmia, around Spačva river. There is also a place named Spačva, which is situated in this region.-See also:*Syrmia...
|
| Connection to
VrbanjaVrbanja, a village in the region of Spačva, Croatia, 24 km southeast of Županja; elevation 87 m. Chief occupations include farming, livestock breeding and forestry. The village is located on the regional road Vinkovci - Gunja - Brčko . Vrbanja named after the willows...
and
BrčkoBrčko is a city in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, administrative seat of the Brčko District. It lies on the country's border along the Sava river across from Gunja, Croatia...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
|-
| 298.4
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Spačva rest area
|-
| 300.1
| align=center |
| colspan=3 |Lipovac toll plaza
|-
| 304.0
| align=center | 21
| Lipovac
|
| Connection to Lipovac,
TovarnikTovarnik is a municipality in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in Croatia. According to the 2001 census, there are 3,335 inhabitants, 90.61% which are Croats. The municipality is part of Syrmia. It is the birthplace of great Croatian poet Antun Gustav Matoš....
, Vukovar and
IlokIlok is the easternmost town and municipality in Croatia. Located in the Syrmia region, it lies on a hill overlooking the Danube river, which forms the border with the Vojvodina region of Serbia. The population of the town of Ilok is 5,036, while the total municipality population is 6,750...
|-
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |306.5
| bgcolor=#ddffdd align=center |
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |Bajakovo border crossing
| bgcolor=#ddffdd | A1
| bgcolor=#ddffdd |Border crossing to
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
The route continues as Serbian motorway A1.
The eastern terminus of the motorway and the eastern terminus of European route E70 concurrency.
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 . The network is numbered from E 1 up and its roads cross national borders...
- Transport in Croatia
Transport in Croatia relies on several main modes, including transport by road, rail, water and air. Road transport incorporates a comprehensive network of state, county and local routes augmented by a network of highways for long-distance travelling...