M-2 highway (Montenegro)


M-2 highway is a Montenegrin roadway.
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, but it was considered the "backbone of the Montenegrin road network".
Most notorious part of this road is Platije Canyon, where more than 1200 people have lost their lives. Part of the Bar-Boljare motorway that is being built from 2015 till 2019 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.
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.
In January 2016, the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs published bylaw on the categorisation of state roads. 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