The Construction of Further 12,6 km of Struma Motorway has Commenced

The construction of Struma Motorway’s section between Blagoevgrad and Krupnik started with funding from the Operational Programme “Transport and Transport Infrastructure”. Lot 3.1 from km 359+000 to km 366+000 and from km 370+400 to 376+000 forms part of the project: Struma Motorway - lot 3.1, lot 3.3 and Zheleznitsa Tunnel. It is co-financed by the EU Cohesion Fund and the National Budget through OPTTI 2014-2020.

The symbolic first sod ceremony at the site, near Blagoevgrad, where lot 2 of the motorway ends, was attended by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works – Nikolay Nankov, the Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski, the chairman of the Management Board of the Road Infrastructure Agency eng. Doncho Atanasov, Members of Parliament, mayors etc.

The total length of Struma Motorway’s lot 3.1 is 12,6 km. In the section between Blagoevgrad and Krupnik 2 road junctions will be constructed – Blagoevgrad-South and Simitli road junctions, 20 major facilities – bridges over the Struma, Logodashka, Suha Reka and Gradevska rivers, an overpass above the Sofia – Kulata railway line, 3 agricultural subways 3 pedestrian overpasses and one subway. Intelligent transport systems, with traffic recording and management, video-surveillance and a meteorological station will also be constructed. The newly constructed road infrastructure will improve road safety and the protection of the environment. It will contribute to the increased competitiveness of the economy and the mobility of the population in this region.

The main contractor for lot 3.1 is DZZD (Company under the Obligations and Contracts Act) АМ STRUMA 3.1., Agromah EOOD being the lead partner, and the other partners: Patishta Plovdiv AD, Hidrostroy AD, Patishta Plovdiv Group EOOD, AB AD and Alve Consult EOOD. The total price of the contract amounts to BGN 139 021 499.92, excluding VAT. The construction supervision will be provided by DZZD SN AM Struma Lot 3.1, which is formed by MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED, UK; Transconsult-BG OOD and Test Consulting OOD. Their contract is for BGN 1 695 249.00, excluding VAT.

The total length of the Struma Motorway – from Daskalovo to the Bulgarian-Greek border is 150 km. The motorway forms part of the Orient/Eastern Mediterranean Corridor, connecting Vidin to Kulata, and the traffic towards Greece uses this route. This road is also used as the shortest route between Western, Eastern Europe and the Aegean Sea, as well as a link between Europe and Asia.

 Using funding from OP Transport 2017-2013, the Road Infrastructure Agency constructed a total of 69 km of the Struma Motorway in the sections Dolna Dikanya – Dupnitsa /16,78 km/, Dupnitsa – Blagoevgrad /37,48 km/ and Sandanski– Kulata /14,7 km/. Funding from OP Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014-2020 is used to continue with the construction of the rest of the alignment.

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