Minister Nankov: Between 220 and 240 Million BGN are Needed for Repair of Sections of Hemus Motorway, the Funds will be Provided in Stages
Between 220 and BGN 240 million BGN are needed for repair of 45 km road carriageway, tunnels and viaducts on Hemus Motorway. The funds will be allocated at stages to ensure the safety and security of road users. This was announced today by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Nikolay Nankov, who together with the Chair of the Road Infrastructure Agency, Eng. Doncho Atanasov, has carried out an inspection of the repair of the right tube of Echemiska Tunnel on the motorway.
After completion of the rehabilitation works of the structure the two tubes are open for traffic.
The 765 m long tunnel is in operation since 1984. From that time, no major repair has been performed on the structure. The restoration works in the tube to Varna started on the 1st of September last year, as the traffic so far took place bi-directionally in the tube to Sofia.
About 12 million BGN of the national budget were allocated for the repair of the tube to Varna. After completion of the restoration works the structure has a new waterproofing, drainage system, ventilation and electrical installation, lighting, video surveillance and fire alarm systems. There are about 19 000 m2 of waterproofing laid down, 30 000 m2 of sprayed concrete, 3320 t of asphalt, 843 m3 of sidewalk blocks, 164 t of reinforced steel, 1550 m of sound-absorbing walls, etc. The tube is equipped by energy-efficient LED lighting, consisting of 293 lighting fixtures.
The repair works are carried out by Avtomagistrali EAD under the contract for current repair and maintenance of the motorway section.
Minister Nankov commented that due to the almost two months of start-up delay of the construction works on the bridge structure following Vitinya Tunnel, in the direction to Varna, at km 33 of Hemus Motorway, the repair is expected to be completed by the middle of August.
Time limits should not be at the expense of quality. The repairs are related to ensuring safety and security and take time, Nikolay Nankov said.
He informed that due to the same reason the repair of other structures in critical condition on the motorway is also ongoing – an agricultural underpass is being renovated at km 24 and a landslide is strengthened. According to the plans these works have to be completed by the end of July.
The left tube of Vitinya Tunnel in direction to Sofia and the bridge structure before it are also in a critical condition. Work on them will begin after the completion of the ongoing repair in order to finish before the winter season, the Minister said. He added that at present the condition of the left tube of Echemiska Tunnel is being investigated. Repair on it may begin after the end of the summer season, but provided it is also completed before the winter maintenance of the roads, the Minister said. Our desire is to meet the winter without any repairs and temporary organization of the traffic, eng. Atanasov added.
Other necessary construction works, aiming at improvement of the condition of the motorway, in order to ensure passenger safety, will take place next year. That is why the repair of the active traffic lane from Trakia Motorway after Plovdiv in the direction to Burgas will start after 15 September.
Again, in order to alleviate the traffic during the active summer season, movement of heavy goods vehicles will be limited in peak hours on all motorways. The order will come into effect from next week. Today we will meet with representatives of carriers in order to discuss this topic, the Minister said.
Mr. Nankov expressed hope that the toll system will be introduced more quickly in order to have more financial resources for the necessary repairs on the roads. Car owners pay 2/3 of the total vignette charges in the country. The logic of the system currently in force for payment of charges for usage of the national road network is unfair and will be changed. As a result of the increased charges to be levied on heavy goods vehicles after the introduction of the toll system, there will be over 500 million BGN per year, which will be invested in improving the condition of the road network in the country.