Plans for the motorway were officially formulated in 1974 and the construction was started in 1977. The first sections were completed as a two-lane expressway with grade-separated intersections, in 1988 and 1990, comprising the western arm of Rijeka bypass. As the first stage of the A6 motorway construction spanning between Zagreb and Rijeka neared completion in the 2000s, construction of a proper motorway along the A7 route started. In December 2009, the Diračje–Orehovica section was upgraded to a six-lane motorway, bringing the entire route between Rupa border crossing and Sveti Kuzam interchange to a uniform standard.