A1 Motorway (Albania)

A1 motorway
Autostradë A1
Rruga e Kombit
A1 motorway along Fan River Valley
Route information
Length:	171 km (106 mi)
Major junctions
From:	Durrës
To:	Morine, border with Kosovo
Location
Major cities:	Durrës Laç Lezhë Kukës
Highway system
Highways in Albania

Scene on SH1/A1 Milot - Thumane

A1 motorway, known as the Nation's Highway in Albania is part of the Durrës-Kukes Corridor referring to the road segments between Milot, Rrëshen, and Kalimash. Remaining segments between Kolsh, Kukës, and Morinë are part of the SH5 Highway instead linking Shkodër and Kukës. It is unclear whether the segment Thumane-Milot is part of the A1 or SH1 as road signs and map markings do not officially coincide.

In June 2009, the project was symbolically inaugurated with opening of the Kalimash - Thirrë Tunnel, while the whole project was only finished by July 2010 and the remaining portions by summer 2011. However, segment Milot-Rrëshen and several viaducts on the SH5 still remain to be expanded into dual carriageways in the near future. It is expected that the motorway will become a toll highway to upgrade remaining segments to full motorway standard and cover the costs of maintenance.

The highway is expected to reduce the travel time from six hours to two, with an estimated speed of 80–110 km/h. The highway is also expected to boost tourism in Albania and deepen the cultural and economic exchanges between Albania and Kosovo. As most tourists come through Kosovo, the laying of the highway will make it easier to travel to the Durrës and Shengjin ports, and the Adriatic Sea generally.

Rrëshen - Kalimash

Scene on A1 Rreshen - Kalimash

The most challenging part of the corridor was the segment between Rrëshen and Kalimash, which is around 61 km long. It was divided into three sections - a 19 km stretch from Rrëshen to Reps, 27 km from Reps to Thirrë and 15 km between Thirrë and Kolshi. A total of one tunnel and 27 viaducts have been constructed through the steep and mountainous terrain.

There are 17 viaducts in the area from Reps to Thirrë. The use of a hydro-powered electricity grid instead of diesel generators has helped in reducing the carbon footprint of the project. As a result, CO2 emissions have dropped by 613,000 lb (278,000 kg) each month. The above segment as opposed to the other ones is of a higher quality both for security and construction parameters.

Construction work on the remaining segments in Albania (Milot-Rrëshen and Kalimash-Morinë) finished in 2009. Even though in double carriageway standard, Kolsh-Morinë (SH5) lacks the standard of A1 as entry and exit ramps are missing. The viaducts along this segment will be doubled in the near future while uncontrolled entry and exit points are becoming a major safety issue.^[1]

Tunnelling

Tunnel entrance at Thirra

The highway passes through a 5.5 km-long double-bore tunnel. Construction works on the tunnel began in May 2007 and were completed with one tunnel tube inaugurated in June 2009. The south-bound tunnel was completed in July 2010. All four faces of the two tubes of the tunnel have been worked on simultaneously. Rrëshen - Kalimash segment's third section of road between Thirrë and Kolshi included Mt. Runes at an elevation of 1,858m. Laying road on Mt. Runes proved to be a challenge for the engineers. Another challenge was the transportation of construction equipment and material. As about 3,800 people worked on the project, there was the additional responsibility of feeding, clothing and housing them. A partial collapse occurred at a 50m section in the central-south bore of the tunnel in November 2009. No injuries or equipment damages were reported. The collapse occurred because of heavy overbreak (during excavation) at a geologically complex area inside the tunnel and delayed the completion of the south-bound tunnel. During the tunnel construction, the tunneling team encountered five types of rock. In fact, only the north-bound tunnel was opened as per schedule in June 2009.

Funding and Contractors

New viaduct besides an old bridge in Albania

The highway project is the biggest road infrastructure project ever done in Albania. Its initial cost was estimated at €600 million but during the course of construction this has more than doubled. The project was financed by the government of Albania and some foreign lending institutions. The total cost of the highway is estimated to be over €1 billion ($1.1 billion) amid allegations of corruption and a growing public debt.^[2]

The contract for the construction of road segment between Rreshen and Kalimash, which constitutes one-third of the whole project, was awarded to a joint venture between Bechtel, a US-based engineering company, and Enka, a Turkey-based construction company. The contract was awarded in September 2006 and a majority of the construction works were completed by June 2009. Contractors working in the remaining portions of the highway were Albanian and Austrian based firms.

Exit list

Type	Name	Destination	Notes
SH1 Fushe Kruje - Thumane under construction, enter A1
	Europa Park Rest Area		Accessible northbound only
	Fushe-Mamurras	SH39	Connection to Mamurras and Patok near Adriatik
	Laç	SH35	Connection to Laç, Shna Ndout Church, and Patok Lagoon-Fushe Kuqe Reserve
	Fushe-Milot	SH1	Temporary roundabout connecting with Shkoder and Lezhe; Overpass started in 2015
	Milot	SH39	Connection to Lezhe in the north, and Lac in the south
	Skuraj	SH6	Connection to Burrel, Peshkopi, and Ulëz Lake Regional Nature Park in Mat region
	Rubik	SH30	Connection to Rubik, Katund i Vjeter area, and nearby Berzane Reserve in historic Mirdita region
	Rreshen	SH30 SH34	Connection to Rreshen, Mirdita and Lura National Park to the south, and the old alternate Qafa Malit route to the north
	Reps	SH40	Connection to old Qafa Malit route towards Puka and Fushe-Arrez
	Fan	SH40	Connection to Klos and Zall-Xhuxha, Fan area
	Kastrati Rest Area		Accessible eastbound only
	Thirre/Kalimash Tunnel
	Kolsh	SH5	Connection to Fushe-Arrez and Puka
SH5 Kolsh – Kukes – Morine (enter Kosovo and R7), several viaducts under construction

References