Mašić: Earnings from tolls over 4,5 million euros, the number of traffic accidents reduced

Since the opening of the Smokovac-Mateševo ​​section, 10.600 vehicles pass through this route daily, which is an increase of 18 percent compared to when the traffic was on the main road, Miroslav Mašić from the Road Infrastructure Directorate of the Ministry of Capital Investments (MKI) said in Colors of the Morning.

MKI made an analysis looking at four months, from August to November, which, Mašić said, showed that the volume of traffic increased significantly compared to the same period last year.

"Last year, we had about 8.900 vehicles per day, while now about 10.600 vehicles pass by the highway per day. There was an increase of some 18 percent, which is significant and expected. Citizens and tourists decide more easily to use that road," said Mašović. .

Traffic safety has also increased and the number of traffic accidents and incidents has decreased.

"On the Podgorica-Mateševo ​​road from January 1 to July 13 this year, we had 55 traffic accidents, including three deaths, six serious injuries and 33 minor injuries. Since the highway was opened, we have had 13 traffic accidents, without deaths. There were nine traffic accidents on the highway," Mašić said.

He points out that this is one of the benefits of releasing this stock.

"From the collection of tolls from July 21 to December 27, one million and 115 thousand vehicles passed through the highway, and the income is over 4,5 million euros".

Mašić states that they predicted such figures, but did not expect that the traffic would increase during the winter as well.

As he said, the earnings from tolls are sufficient to cover the costs of the highway as well as for some investments in new shares.

"MKI received funds for two conceptual projects of the Mateševo-Andrijevica section and the bypass around Podgorica, and they are in the final phase," Mašić concluded.