RIA has Launched a Public Procurement for the Construction of a Tunnel under Shipka
The Road Infrastructure Agency has launched a tender for the selection of a contractor for the tunnel under Shipka. The value of the contract is BGN 267 225 010 excluding VAT. The deadline for submission of bids is 5:30 PM on 5 December 2019.
The public procurement envisages the construction of a section with a length of 10,553 km, of which 7.6 km are new construction and 2.9 km are reconstruction of the existing road I-5 Gabrovo - Kazanlak, as well as 5 tunnels with a total length of 4,011 km. The tunnel under Shipka will be 3.22 km long. The other 4 tunnels are shorter - 171 m, 240 m, 90 m and 290 m respectively. The procedure also includes the construction of 6 bridges and 1 underpass, 12 reinforced embankments, one reinforced concrete bulkhead wall, one reinforced concrete retaining wall, etc.
The tunnel under Shipka Peak will be located 1 km west of Shipka Pass and 1 km east of Malusha Peak. The northern part of the tunnel will be in Gabrovo district and the southern part in Stara Zagora district. It will have two traffic lanes of 3.75 m, two guiding strips of 0.50 m and two sidewalks of 0.85 m.
The time limit of the construction works is 1 280 calendar days, or nearly 3 and a half years.
The large-scale project for the construction of the Gabpovo By-pass, leading to the future tunnel under Shipka, is of 5 stages and will be performed in two phases. In the final stage is the first phase that includes the construction of a total of 4 sections, and a stage connection with a total length of 23.25 m. The second phase includes the construction of the fifth section of the Gabrovo Bypass, including the tunnel under Shipka.
It is envisaged that the project "Design and construction of the site: Bypass of the town of Gabrovo from km 20+124.50 to km 30+673.48, including tunnel under Shipka peak" will be proposed for financing by the future Operational Program "Transport Connectivity" 2021-2027.
The tunnel will be a focal point for the North-South direction traffic and the crossing of Stara Planina Mountain in the central part of Bulgaria will be implemented through it. The main transport destinations to be operated are: Ruse - Veliko Turnovo - Shipka - Stara Zagora - Svilengrad (Makaza) and Oryahovo - Sevlievo - Shipka - Stara Zagora - Svilengrad (Makaza).