M-2 highway (Montenegro)

M-2 highway (Montenegrin: Magistralni put M-2) is a Montenegrin roadway.

M-2 highway
Magistralni put M-2
Route information
Part of E-65 / E-80 / E-763
Length	187.0 km (116.2 mi)
Existed	1971–present
Major junctions
South end	M-1 / E-65 / E-80 in Petrovac na Moru
	M-1.1 in Virpazar R-15 in Virpazar M-3 / E-762 in Podgorica M-4 / E-762 in Podgorica R-13 in Bioče R-21 in Mioska R-13 in Kolašin R-10 in Mojkovac R-11 in Slijepač Most M-5 / E-65 / E-80 in Ribarevine
North end	M23 / E763 in Barski Most (border with Serbia)
Location
Municipalities	Budva, Bar, Podgorica, Kolašin, Mojkovac, Bijelo Polje
Highway system
Highways in Montenegro ← M-1.1 M-3 →

The M-2 highway is the oldest and most important connection between the coastal region and the North of Montenegro. It goes from Budva Municipality to the border of Serbia near Bijelo Polje and through capital city of Podgorica, Kolašin and Mojkovac. In 2016, M-2 highway was shortened, and path has changed, [1] but it was considered the "backbone of the Montenegrin road network".[2]

Most notorious part of this road is Platije Canyon, where more than 1200 people have lost their lives.[3] Part of the Bar-Boljare motorway that is being built from 2015 till 2019 (marked red on the picture) is going to be new and safe connection between Podgorica and Kolašin avoiding Platije Canyon.

History

Construction on the historical M-2 highway began in 1953. Construction finished in 1971.[4]

Part of M-2 highway, which was known as M-21 highway before January 2016, flowed through the center of the city of Bijelo Polje and caused heavy traffic delays. As a means to alleviate traffic in the city, the Montenegrin Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs commissioned a project to create a bypass around the city. As a result, on 27 March 2014, the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs officially realigned the then M-21 highway to current alignment. The M-21 highway would now run along the bypass, no longer running through the city.[5]

In January 2016, the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs published bylaw on the categorisation of state roads.[1] With new categorisation, M-2 highway was shortened excluding coastal parts of the road, from the border with Croatia to Petrovac na Moru which are now part of newly established M-1 highway. In northern part of the road, M-2 was realigned from Ribarevine now going north via Bijelo Polje to border with Serbia, instead of going via Berane and Rožaje to border with Serbia, which is now newly established M-5 highway.

Major intersections

Municipality	Location	km	mi	Destinations	Notes
Budva	Petrovac na Moru	0.0	0.0	M-1 / E-65 / E-80 – Budva, Bar
Bar	Virpazar	23.3	14.5	M-1.1 / E-65 / E-80 – Bar	via Sozina Tunnel Southern end of E 65 concurrency Southern end of E 80 concurrency
		24.8	15.4	R-15 – Ostros, Vladimir
Bridge over Lake Skadar		28.7	17.8
Podgorica	Golubovci	45.3	28.1	Podgorica Airport
	Podgorica – Zabjelo	51.9	32.2	M-3 / E-762 – Nikšić	Western end of E 762 concurrency
	Podgorica – Stari Aerodrom	53.5	33.2	M-4 / E-762 – Tuzi	Eastern end of E 762 concurrency
	Bioče	67	42	R-13 – Mateševo, Andrijevica
Kolašin	Mioska	107	66	R-21 – Boan, Šavnik
	Kolašin	122	76	R-13 – Mateševo, Andrijevica
Mojkovac	Mojkovac	144	89	R-10 – Đurđevića Tara, Pljevlja, Žabljak
Bijelo Polje	Slijepač Most	161	100	R-11 – Tomaševo, Pljevlja
	Ribarevine	167	104	M-5 / E-65 / E-80 – Berane, Rožaje	Northern end of E 65 concurrency Northern end of E 80 concurrency Southern end of E 763 concurrency
	Bijelo Polje	171	106	No major intersection, bypass east of the city
	Dračenovac	187	116	IB-23 / E763 – Novi Pazar (Serbia)	Border crossing with Serbia Northern end of E 763 concurrency
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

References

1. "Pravilnik o kategorizaciji državnih puteva" [Regulation on categorisation of state roads]. www.sluzbenilist.me (in Montenegrin). Official Gazette of Montenegro. 5 January 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
2. Doderović, Miroslav; Ivanović, Zdravko (Fall 2012). Drumski saobraćaj u Crnoj Gori [Vehicular transport in Montenegro] (PDF) (in Montenegrin). Matica crnogorska. pp. 482–483. Retrieved 24 May 2015. Naјznačајniјi је оd njih, svаkаkо, јаdrаnski put M-2, pоpulаrnо nazvаn Јаdrаnskа mаgistrаlа, kоја prеdstаvljа kičmu putnе mrеžе Crnе Gоrе, јеr sе оd njе оdvајајu ili sa njom ukrštајu skоrо svi vаžniјi putni prаvci u zemlji. Оvај put pоvеzuје dеsеt оpštinskih cеntаrа u Crnој Gоri, а njimе sе Crna Gоrа uključuје u mеđunarоdnu putnu mrеžu.
3. Platije pojele 1200 života (Montenegrin) English: Platije took 1200 lives
4. Doderović, Miroslav; Ivanović, Zdravko (Fall 2012). Drumski saobraćaj u Crnoj Gori [Vehicular transport in Montenegro] (PDF) (in Montenegrin). Matica crnogorska. p. 483. Retrieved 24 May 2015. Izgrаdnjа Јаdrаnskоg puta na tеritоriјi Crnе Gоrе pоčеlа је 1953. gоdine а zаdnjа njеgоvа diоnicа zаvršеna је 1971. gоdinе.
5. "Informacija o prekategorizaciji dionica državnih puteva" [Information regarding the recategorisation of sections of national roads] (PDF) (in Montenegrin). Government of Montenegro. 27 March 2014. p. 6. Retrieved 27 May 2015. Novoizgrađena obilaznica Bijelog Polja kategorisati kao dio magistralnog puta M-21 Ribarevine – Barski Most.