Avtopat

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Avtopat (Автопат) is the Macedonian name for the motorways of the Republic of Macedonia. Its name, like its translation in most languages, simply means auto road.

The country has two major motorways, the first running from the Tabanovce border crossing with Serbia (for Preševo) passing Skopje and Veles and continuing right down to the main border crossing with Greece, Bogorodica-Evzoni near Gevgelija. The large part of this express route was built whilst Macedonia was a part of the SFR Yugoslavia, though it was only completed in 2004 in time for the Athens Olympics. For approximately 30 km between Skopje Airport and Veles, the motorway splits, creating a gradual distance of several kilometres. The northbound route is the postulated motorway route whilst the slightly longer southbound route, with dangerous bends, is the old road currently being used as a freeway as it is only one-way. There are no plans at present to develop the northbound route into two separate carriageways thus perfecting the network.

There is also a motorway which was mostly constructed since independence. It can be joined near Skopje from the other express route. This route is built all through the city of Skopje and westbound towards Tetovo where it then turns southwards and ends close to Gostivar. This is a very scenic route as it passes the Šar mountain range, with beautiful mountain villages, and the peak of Mount Korab is also visible.

The current system has inherited much from the former Yugoslavia. Pay-tolls (patarini) remain in place and the speed limit is still 120 km/h (Slovenia increased its limit to 130km as in neighbouring Austria and Italy). The highways are all marked with yellow-colour hard shoulders and the motorway roadsigns maintain their green colour background, a feature shared with Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden and Greece. The roads are on the whole straight with good surfacing, and and better maintained than the national roads.

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