D40 road (Croatia)

The D40 is a state road in Croatia that connects the A1 motorway at the Sveti Rok interchange to the D8 state road in Maslenica. It primarily serves to provide a faster route between Zagreb and destinations along the Adriatic coast north of Zadar, bypassing the older, more winding D8 road through the Velebit mountains.

The road is relatively short, at approximately 15 kilometers in length. Its key feature is the Maslenica Bridge, a concrete arch bridge spanning the Maslenica Strait, an arm of the Adriatic Sea. This bridge significantly reduces travel time compared to previous routes.

The D40 plays a vital role in Croatia's transportation infrastructure, facilitating tourism and commerce along the Dalmatian coast. It is maintained and operated by Hrvatske ceste (Croatian Roads), the state-owned company responsible for national roads in Croatia. Traffic volumes on the D40 are typically highest during the peak tourist season.