Skopje redirects €6m originally for Vizbegovo boulevard to underground carriageway on Yuzhen Bulevar

The six million euros that the City of Skopje received from the national government during the SDSM and DUI administration have been redirected by the new mayor, Orce Gjorgievski, to build an underground carriageway on Yuzhen Bulevar.

The funds had been allocated earlier in two tranches of three million euros: one while Petre Shilegov was mayor and another during Danela Arsovska’s term, intended for works on the stretch that is currently in poor condition and serves as the only road link toward the border with Kosovo.

During Shilegov’s mandate it was announced that the project would include construction of an interchange at the junction with Slovenechka, and that further toward Vizbegovo the corridor would receive a boulevard solution.

City priorities and project focus

Asked about plans to upgrade Hasan Prishtina Street or the Kacanik Road into a boulevard, the City of Skopje replied that, "They say that at the moment, the priority is the construction of the interchange at Momin Potok and the boulevard to the intersection with Slovenechka."

The reallocation of the six million euros shifts the originally earmarked support for the Vizbegovo boulevard concept toward a tunnelled or sunken traffic solution on Yuzhen Bulevar, a decision that will determine which surface links receive immediate investment and which are postponed.

Local residents and transport planners in the area will be watching how the new programme affects access toward the northern approaches and the single existing connection to the Kosovo border, as well as whether further state or municipal funding will be required to complete the boulevard vision toward Vizbegovo.

Photo: SDK.MK)