Bulgarian government rearranges motorway system, creates ‘Europe’ motorway
At a regular meeting on December 27, Bulgaria’s Cabinet decided that Lyulin Motorway would become part of Struma Motorway and the Kalotina – Sofia road would become the Europe Motorway, which will include the northern speedway.
The decision was taken as the government approved the list of national roads where road taxes are chargeable.
A government statement said that Lyulin Motorway was being made part of the Struma Motorway because of its short length, 19.6km, and the fact that it was a natural beginning of the Struma route.
The Sofia – Pernik stretch of road becomes part of the Sofia – Pernik – Dupnitsa – Blagoevgrad – Simitli – Kresna – Sandanski – Greek border route.
The statement said that on November 15 2018 a contract was signed with the selected contractor for the building of a 14.5km section of the Kalotina – Sofia route from the border checkpoint to the Dragoman road junction.
The government also decided that motorists would pay a fee for using the part of the Danube Bridge at Rousse – Giurgiu that is on Bulgarian territory.
The statement said that the changes to the list of national roads was needed because of the several changes that have occurred with the commissioning of new stretches of road that are part of Bulgaria’s national road road network, and the fact that some routes have been dropped from the network.
The Bulgarian government announced new designations for the country’s motorways.
Trakiya Motorway will be designated as A-1, covering the Sofia-Plovdiv-Stara Zagora-Yambol-Bourgas route.
The Hemus Motorway will be designated A-2, covering the Sofia-Botevgrad-Shoumen, Devnya-Varna route.
The Struma Motorway will be the A-3, covering Sofia-Pernik-Dupnitsa-Blagoevgrad-Simitli-Kresna-Sandanski-the border with Greece.
The Maritsa Motorway will be the A-4, covering Plovdiv-Stara Zagora-Harmanli-Svilengrad-the border with Turkey.
The Black Sea highway, between Varna and Bourgas, will be the A-5 and the Europe Motorway, from Sofia to the Serbian border, will be the A-6.
Separately, Bulgarian National Radio reported on December 27 that Sofia municipality and the Road Infrastructure Agency were to hold discussions on whether toll fees and road taxes should be chargeable on the Sofia Ring Road or parts of it.
(Photo: Road Infrastructure Agency)
