After long delays, the bridge between the island of Čiovo and Trogir on the mainland has been officially inaugurated.

By pressing a button to raise a ramp on the entryway, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković officially opened the bridge which connects the mainland with the island of Čiovo, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on July 17, 2018.

Prime Minister Plenković attended the bridge opening ceremony together with Transportation Minister Oleg Butković and numerous locals.

Although the ceremonial opening of the Čiovo bridge was initially scheduled for 11 am, the ceremony was delayed as several hundred residents and owners of cottages in the area of ​​Trogir and Čiovo disrupted the protocol. Everybody came to the bridge to celebrate the solution to the problem which tormented locals and numerous tourists for decades.

Although there was no traditional ribbon cutting ceremony, the prime minister did briefly address the gathering. “Any new bridge is always great news, but this is just fantastic. We waited for a long time for this bridge to be constructed. I am glad that so many people came to this ceremony.”

On the occasion of the opening of the bridge, the Town of Trogir and the Municipality of Okrug will organise a large party for locals. Starting from 8.30 pm, a concert by a popular local singer will be held.

The total length of the bridge is 546.34 metres, while the access roads are 1,271 metres long. The width of the waterway is 25 metres. The price of the construction reached 207 million kuna, of which 176.7 million kuna or 85 percent came from EU funds.

The town of Trogir has thus received a long-awaited new traffic feature, and its inhabitants, as well as the people of Čiovo, have received a solution to the problem which tormented them for many years, especially during the tourist season, when they are joined by tens of thousands of tourists. From now on, kilometres-long traffic lines should become history.

“We have waited for this moment for 50 years, and now it is here. Prepare for large celebrations,” wrote Trogir Mayor Ante Bilić on Facebook several days ago.

Translated from Slobodna Dalmacija.