Traffic on Section E-79 between Rebarkovo and Lyutidol is Closed for the Construction of the Mezdra-Botevgrad Road. Traffic will be Diverted through the Petrohan Pass and Iskar Gorge
Starting tomorrow - 10 June, traffic on the section of I-1 road (E-79) between the villages of Rebarkovo and Lyutidol will be closed for the modernisation of the Mezdra - Botevgrad road. Traffic of all types of vehicles along the section of the first-class road will be limited - passenger cars and vehicles up to 12 tonnes travelling to Sofia and Vidin will pass through the Petrohan Pass - II-81 road, and through the Iskar Gorge - II-16 road. Additional bypass route for vehicles of up to 4.5 tonnes is the third class road III-161 Rebarkovo-Lyutidol and the municipal road network of the village of Lyutidol.
For safety reasons, traffic of trucks of more than 12 tonnes will be divided in traffic directions.
Vehicles over 12 tonnes travelling from Vidin to Sofia will divert direction at Montana on the II-81 road - the Petrohan Pass. Vehicles over 12 tonnes joining traffic on the I-1 road after Montana District will pass along the II-16 road.
Vehicles over 12 tonnes travelling from Sofia to Vidin will pass via the Iskar Gorge on the II-16 road.
This temporary traffic arrangement will be valid until mid-November 2020.
Construction of the section of I-1 road (E-79) Mezdra - Botevgrad began at the end of last year. So far, all implemented activities have been away from the road and have not hindered traffic. The implementation of the section is now entering the next stage, which requires closing of traffic in the section between the villages of Rebarkovo and Lyutidol (from km 166 to km 172), where the design route parts away from the existing road and goes into a bypass of the village of Lutidol from the east.
The section between Mezdra and Botevgrad is considered one of the most complex passage terrains of the Vidin - Botevgrad road (167 km). The construction of nearly 33 km of the Mezdra - Botevgrad road is divided into two sections - Lot 1 (19.3 km) and Lot 2 (13.4 km). The road will consist of two roadways with two lanes in each direction, i.e. twice as wide as the current one, with one lane in each direction. The route will follow the existing road, which will be extended to the new size, and the current route will be thoroughly repaired and reconstructed where necessary. On a new terrain, the future express road will be developed in the sections bypassing the villages of Lyutidol, Tipchenitsa, Novachene and Skravena. Two tunnels will be built on the bypass of the village of Lyutidol, with a length of 490 m and 340 m, respectively. A number of facilities will be constructed and repaired - over the Mezdra - Sofia railway line, bridges over Iskar River, Malata River, Kalnitsa River, Bebresh River, Rudarka River, as well as a junction at the village of Novachene. Construction of agricultural overpasses, recreational sites, etc. is also envisaged.
The Vidin - Botevgrad road is a priority project in the investment programme of the Road Infrastructure Agency and the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, as the complete homogenisation and modernisation of the route from the Danube Bridge 2 will ensure a fast and convenient connection between the Hemus, Thrace and Struma motorways. With its implementation, transit traffic will be directed away from settlements, increasing traffic safety and limiting the harmful impact of noise and the environmental pollution from intensive heavy cargo traffic.
