Slovenian engineer wins contract to design Croatia’s “Golden Gate” bridge
The firm of Slovenian civil engineer and prominent bridge builder Marjan Pipenbaher has won an international competition to design a landmark bridge across Kaštela Bay near Split, a project that Croatian media have dubbed the country's "Golden Gate".
Pipenbaher Inženirji teamed up with Croatian architectural studio 3LHD to secure the project, receiving EUR 60,000 in prize money and a EUR 500,000 design contract, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.
According to media reports, their proposal won seven of eleven votes in a secret ballot, emerging on top among 12 anonymous entries.
The planned 1,600-metre bridge, rising 55 metres above the sea, will link Kaštel Sućurac with the area east of Split's shipyard, creating a new transport axis for the wider Split metropolitan area.
The structure will carry two carriageways with two lanes each, along with dedicated pedestrian and cycling paths, while ensuring uninterrupted maritime traffic beneath the main span.
Beyond its transport function, the bridge will also serve as a utilities corridor, incorporating sewerage, water supply, electricity and telecommunications infrastructure - a strategic addition for the fast-growing coastal region.
The winning consortium estimated construction costs at EUR 223 million and projected 100-year maintenance costs at EUR 125 million.
The project marks another high-profile success for Pipenbaher, whose firm was also the lead designer of the 2.4-kilometre Pelješac Bridge, inaugurated in 2022.
That EU-funded bridge reconnected Croatia's southernmost territory with the mainland, becoming both a symbol of modern Croatian infrastructure and a showcase of Slovenian engineering expertise.
Photo: Hina/STA
