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2026-07-27 10:27 UTC → 2026-08-16 15:50 UTC ·
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In late July 2026, Serbian authorities began crews are conducting nightly work on the Pančevački Bridge to replace aging expansion joints. Traffic is rerouted each night joints between 20:00 and 05:00 while crews refurbish 05:00. Retired traffic-engineering professor Milan Vujanić noted that the old joints that generate loud impacts noise and could can damage vehicle suspensions if left unrepaired. suspensions, though safety is not compromised. The bridge, which supports railway traffic weighing up to 600 tonnes, was last fully rehabilitated 20 years ago. Officials warned that without timely repairs, the structure could reach a key road and rail crossing over point where maintenance becomes impossible. Larger reconstruction projects have been postponed until next year. In Croatia, the Danube, sees about 6,000 vehicles each morning, making Pelješki Bridge faces ongoing scrutiny following the repairs critical for commuters from Palilula, Pančevo, Vršac and Zrenjanin. A few days later, Croatian officials reported micro‑cracks discovery of micro-cracks in the protective concrete pillars layer of the Pelješki Bridge, which links the mainland to the Pelješac peninsula. Although all six pillars. While authorities maintain that the cracks defects do not threaten compromise structural stability, they allow water concerns have been raised that moisture and salt penetration could lead to reach the reinforcement steel reinforcement, risking corrosion. Repairs are slated scheduled to start begin in October, after following the tourist season, and are expected to last approximately eight months. The process will involve stripping damaged the surface concrete, adding carbon‑fiber‑reinforced installing carbon-fiber-reinforced concrete, and applying a polyurethane coating. The bridge While Minister Branko Bačić confirmed that the Chinese contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), will stay open, bear the costs under a ten-year guarantee, public skepticism remains high. Unofficial estimates place repair costs between five and six million euros, and reports suggest potential tension regarding financial responsibility, with the contractor possibly seeking compensation. Work will proceed in phases with minor lane narrowing expected. Both projects illustrate a regional emphasis on maintaining and upgrading critical transport infrastructure in the Balkans as existing bridges age and show signs of wear. to ensure traffic continues to flow.