The Economic Cooperation Agency of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China has informed the Ministry of Transport that the contractor for the reconstruction of the Đurđevića Tara Bridge has been selected. The chosen company is Shandong Luqiao Group Co. Ltd from China, and work is expected to begin on May 1st.
The Ministry of Transport has stated that the process of obtaining a construction permit and resolving expropriation issues is currently underway, with all activities expected to be completed before the start of the works.
According to the Ministry, “the estimated expropriation costs are 104,027.00 EUR.”
A decision on the declaration of public interest was made at the end of 2024, allowing the expropriation process to begin.
The Ministry emphasized that “all costs related to the inspection and testing of the bridge and the preparation of technical documentation were covered by the Chinese side,” and therefore, they do not have access to those costs.
The Montenegrin side, specifically the Transport Directorate, paid for the review costs of the main project (14,400 EUR) and the conceptual design (6,025 EUR). The review of the conceptual design was carried out by the GPC company from Podgorica, while the review of the main project was conducted by a commission formed under the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction.
The Chinese company, which will be performing the works, posted a job listing on the Zaposli.me portal on January 10th, looking for four engineers. The positions remain open for responsible engineers in the fields of bridge construction, road construction, hydrotechnics, and geodesy.
ETV portal reported recently that the long-anticipated reconstruction of the Đurđevića Tara Bridge, for which Montenegro received a donation worth over seven million euros from the People’s Republic of China, could finally begin this year.
In line with the signed agreement, the Chinese side conducted a public procurement procedure to select the contractor. The Ministry of Transport expects to receive information about the chosen contractor.
Bridge damages
In their responses to questions, officials from the Ministry were firm in stating that the bridge is safe for uninterrupted traffic flow.
“The aim of the bridge reconstruction and the access roads is to extend the lifespan of the bridge and improve the quality and potential of the location as a tourist attraction in Montenegro,” the Ministry stated.
The donation agreement was made back in 2018, and the contract was signed on December 1, 2020. According to the agreement, the design, main project, and execution of works are the responsibility and cost of the Chinese side, while revision, supervision, expropriation, environmental impact assessment, and other tasks are the responsibility of the Montenegrin side.
Serious damage to the road and foundations
The Đurđevića Tara Bridge has not been reconstructed in over three decades. In the Environmental Impact Assessment report prepared in October 2022, the section “Condition of the Bridge and Damages” states that “after approximately 80 years of use, and due to the lack of necessary maintenance, the bridge structure has various levels of damage, especially to the road slab and foundations.”
“According to partial information received from the Ministry of Transport in Montenegro, the bridge designers carried out reconstruction work and removed defects and damage that threatened the concrete structure of the bridge in 1986. No other information regarding inspections and maintenance is available,” the report mentions.
The project author, China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Ltd., conducted a “comprehensive inspection of the current condition of the bridge from March to April 2019.”
“At that time, no damages were found that seriously endangered the main supporting structure, such as the bridge’s foundations and the main arch ring. However, it is evident that the concrete used has deteriorated, and the main supporting elements are in relatively good condition. The bridge’s road slab system, sidewalks, railings, expansion joints, and foundations are severely damaged, which affects the normal functioning of the bridge,” the document states.
In the proposed measures, it is noted that “there are no damages that seriously jeopardize the main supporting elements of the structure, such as the bridge’s foundations, main arch segment, and main bearing.”
In its current state, with reconstruction, strengthening, and repairs, the bridge will be able to handle traffic loads of 300 kN and speeds of 20 km/h.
The “structural safety” section mentions that “the Đurđevića Tara Bridge has been in use for approximately 80 years” and that “under usual circumstances, the lifespan of this bridge is at its limit.”
The conceptual and main project for the bridge’s rehabilitation and reconstruction was prepared by the Institute for Civil Engineering from Podgorica.
Designed by engineer Mijat Trojanović (1902–1984), the Đurđevića Tara Bridge was built between 1938 and 1940.
The bridge’s elevation ranges from 805.94 meters to 811.28 meters above sea level. The average river level of the Tara River below the bridge is 657 meters, making the height of the bridge above the canyon about 150 meters. The total length of the bridge is 366 meters, and the total width is 7.00 meters, including a 5.50-meter-wide road and two pedestrian lanes of 0.75 meters each, including railings. The bridge is constructed of reinforced concrete.
The Đurđevića Tara Bridge has been ranked among the 20 most beautiful bridges in the world in several media outlets.
