Disaster in Croatia as cracks appear in brand new £350m bridge that's ended traffic chaos

The in southern , opened just two years ago to traffic, is already in need of repairs as cracks have begun to appear on its concrete pillars.

What's more, monitoring the bridge's condition is currently facing delays.

With the sea and salt being unforgiving, it has sparked fears that time is running out to ensure that the bridge does not become dangerous to motorists.

The bridge was constructed for an impressive £350 million, to connect the mainland with the Pelješac peninsula, bypassing a small section of coastline where and Herzegovina has access to the Adriatic Sea at the .

It established an , including Dubrovnik, and the rest of the country.

Before its construction, trying to reach Dubrovnik were met with long traffic jams during the summer.

Prior to its opening in July 2022, someone travelling from to mainland Croatia through Neum would undergo three distinct border checks: a Croatian () exit check, a Bosnian-Herzegovinian entry check and a Croatian (Schengen) entry check, sparking traffic and travel chaos throughout the region.

While the damage is understood to neither be extensive or dangerous at this point, if left unaddressed it could worsen and the is very much in need of a facelift.

Croatian Roads have assured users there is no cause for concern: "It's important to emphasise that these are not structural damages, but surface cracks that do not affect the safety or stability of the structure, nor the safe flow of traffic," explained civil engineer Davor Peri from Croatian Roads in an interview with .

Surface cracks are caused by the shrinkage of concrete and are common in new structures, but they must be repaired, especially in harsh like those near the sea.

"Salt and wind can push seawater into these cracks, allowing salt to reach the steel reinforcement, which can then corrode, reducing the bridge's lifespan," explained civil engineering expert witness arko eljko.

"I haven't paid much attention to it. I think it's fine-it's newly built, and there shouldn't be any problems," said local resident Pavo.

"I'm one hundred percent sure. The best concrete ever used in Croatia was used here on the Pelješac Bridge," another local, Tomislav, confidently added.

If repairs are necessary, traffic may slow down, but locals are confident that the route through Neum will not be needed. They believe that at least one lane of the bridge will remain open during the works.

Fortunately, the Pelješac Bridge is still under warranty: "All the works are covered by a ten-year warranty from the contractor, Road and Bridge Corporation, and of course, they are obliged to be involved in this process as we monitor for defects during the usage phase," Croatian Roads engineer Davor Peri told Dnevnik Nova TV.

However, monitoring the bridge's condition is currently facing delays. Croatian Roads is collaborating with the Faculty of Civil Engineering, but the public procurement process for regular inspections has failed twice due to appeals.

Two million crossings over the Pelješac Bridge were reached in late June 2023 and three million by September.