Driving Ponikve Tunnel through a cave
Tunel Ponikve is located north of Sarajevo in the municipality of Vareš, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a road tunnel that uses the natural Ponikva Cave (Pećina Ponikva). It’s one of the few roads in the world that runs through a cave.
How Was the Road Tunnel Created?
The Ponikva Cave is one of the few natural caves in the world that is large enough and situated in a location where a road is needed. The cave was modified for use as a road tunnel, with the road widened in several places to accommodate large trucks. It has a two-lane paved road, a sidewalk on one side, and electric lighting.
What is the Road through Tunel Ponikve Like?
The road through Tunel Ponikve is fully paved and is part of R444, a local road that connects Vareš with the Krivaja Valley. It is used by various vehicles, including heavy trucks, which transport lumber from a nearby sawmill. The tunnel has been expanded to allow these large trucks to pass through without obstruction.
What Are the Features of Tunel Ponikve?
The cave consists of one main channel that serves as the tunnel, along with two smaller active channels. The Ponikva River flows through one of the smaller channels. There are also several fossil channels present in the cave.
Why is Tunel Ponikve famous for?
Despite the heavy traffic, the cave is home to several species of bats. Unfortunately, the large trucks that pass through the tunnel often kill bats because the trucks move too fast for the bats to avoid them. To warn drivers, a unique road sign has been installed that says "attention bats." The sign is a triangular danger sign with a bat symbol in place of the exclamation mark.
Pic: Armin Alagic