Noise pollution
The A7 motorway runs through hills, rugged coastal terrain, and urban areas, requiring a substantial number of bridges, viaducts, and tunnels along the route. Particular attention to the environment is also required since the route is situated in karst topography, which is particularly susceptible to water pollution, and the urbanized areas requiring special attention to be paid to noise pollution. Noise pollution was assessed as especially severe in the Rastočine neighborhood of Rijeka, where residential buildings are particularly close to the motorway route, most notably a 26-story high-rise only away from the route. The noise pollution was addressed by building a noise barrier long which largely encloses that motorway section like a tunnel. Curved overhead sections of the noise barrier are covered with of solar panels with annual electricity production capacity of 248,000 kWh.