The Arber Road is a promise fulfilled, with the full opening of the Murrizi Tunnel to vehicular traffic. This achievement was realized today after overcoming a series of challenges, particularly the difficult geology.
A long-awaited development for the residents of Dibra and beyond, the Murrizi Tunnel, considered the backbone of the Arber Road, comprises two tunnels: the main tunnel, stretching 3,789 meters, and the emergency tunnel, which is 3,781 meters long, with 11 entrances and exits.
To celebrate this milestone with the people of Dibra, Prime Minister Edi Rama was joined by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku, Minister of Justice Ulsi Manja, as well as local government officials and representatives. After walking through part of the tunnel, they continued their journey by bus, witnessing firsthand the completed work and the safety measures in place to ensure the tunnel’s full functionality.
“Today, the Murrizi Tunnel, stretching 3.8 kilometers, officially opens to traffic. It is fully completed in all aspects, both structural and electromechanical, and everything is operational. We conducted tests last night until late. Additionally, the Road Police has already taken responsibility for monitoring, and fire-fighting units are on-site, ensuring everything is in place. To our right is the parallel emergency tunnel. According to the Road Code, any tunnel longer than 500 meters must be equipped with an emergency tunnel. The emergency tunnel has 11 entrances and exits, and everything meets the required standards. While some final touches are still being made to the emergency tunnel, both tunnels are fully operational. The tunnel faced significant challenges. However, we can proudly say that it is one of the crowning achievements of Albanian infrastructure. It’s a work of art, as the entire tunnel is armored in steel; without this, it wouldn’t have withstood. Right now, we are not passing through a traditional dug tunnel, like the Llogara Tunnel, but through a tunnel completely armored in steel, like an iron ring,” explained Deputy Prime Minister Balluku, adding that other sections of the Arber Road are also now completed.
“Along the route you traveled today, you also saw the fully completed section of the Tujan mountain pass. Last year, we added another section to the Arber Road, connecting Maqellarato Peshkopi. I inspected it yesterday, and by April, we will be ready to hand it over.”
Prime Minister Rama praised the extraordinary work done and encouraged further efforts to find infrastructural solutions for the remaining sections of the road, aiming to make it as functional and accessible as possible.
Regarding the entry roads, Deputy Prime Minister Ballukufurther explained, “We are currently working on a new study. Since we’ve now established the Great Tirana Ring Road, all the entrances need to be revamped. The Kamza entrance no longer meets the standards to serve as an entry point to the capital, as it connects directly to the Tirana-Durres highway and no longer links to the Ring as it should. Therefore, we are developing a project from Kamza, at the entrance to Tirana, to connect directly to the first section of the new Great Ring Road.” she explained.
The Arber Road, one of Albania’s most significant infrastructure projects, is now fully operational, greatly improving the connection between Tirana and Dibra. This monumental project involved the construction of 54 kilometers of road, including 10 kilometers of tunnels and 1.4 kilometers of bridges, marking a major milestone in Albania’s infrastructure development.
