The repair of the "Topli Dol" tunnel on the "Hemus" motorway continues in two shifts at the request of the "Road Infrastructure" Agency. The expectation is that the tube will be open to traffic after December 18, during the Christmas and New Year holidays. This was announced by Eng. Ventsislav Angelov, member of the Management Board of the RIA. According to him, the delay in the repair is about a year and a half, after construction in the left tube was stopped in July 2025.
„The repair of the "Topli Dol" tunnel on the "Hemus" motorway continues. We have requested the builder to work in two shifts“, said Angelov.According to him, the RIA has continued the work, as the condition of the left pipe is critical. “We cannot afford to let more traffic through it, as it is dangerous“, said the member of the agency's management board.
An additional difficulty for traffic is caused by the anchor wall near Vitinya. Angelov described it as severely compromised and indicated that there are cracks in it. According to him, the wall may collapse, which is why traffic on the main road I-1 in this section is prohibited.
The closure creates inconvenience for travelers, as there is no bypass route. A possible alternative is the section through Arabakonak, which is in position 3, but the road is municipal.
“These are municipal properties and a municipal road that RIA cannot manage and repair,“ explained Angelov. He pointed to the mayors of Botevgrad and Gorna Malina as the institutions that can undertake major repairs to the route.
The RIA states that an organization has been created to accelerate the repair of the tunnel. The promised deadline for restoring traffic is after December 18, but a specific date for opening the tube has not been specified.