On the weekends around Independence Day – September 22, during peak hours, the movement of trucks over 12 tons on the “Struma“, “Trakia“ highways will be temporarily restricted along their entire length in both directions, and on “Hemus“ bidirectionally, in the section from Sofia to the roundabout with the I-4 Brestnitsa – Lovech road. This was announced by the “Road Infrastructure“ Agency (API).
Today, the movement of heavy trucks in both directions will be stopped between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. On September 20, the restriction on trucks over 12 tons in both directions will be from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., on September 21 there will be no restrictions introduced, and on September 22 - the ban on movement will be between 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. only for those traveling to Sofia.
The introduction of the temporary organization of traffic is necessary due to increased traffic, when the prerequisites for accidents are greater due to improper overtaking and the formation of columns of heavy trucks, added the RIA.
The temporary organization does not apply to vehicles providing public passenger transport. On the "Hemus" and "Struma" highways, the ban does not apply to motor vehicles over 12 tons that transport dangerous goods (ADR), live animals, perishable food products and temperature-controlled cargo and specialized carcass trucks. On the "Trakia" highway in the section from the "Ihtiman" junction (at km 34) to the "Vakarel" junction (at km 23) in the direction of Sofia, the ban will not apply to trucks over 12 tons carrying dangerous goods (ADR).
At the discretion of the drivers during the change in the traffic organization for the weekends, other republican roads may be used for detour routes, while respecting the permanent traffic organization in force for them. The introduction of the measure has been coordinated with the Ministry of Interior and at the discretion of the police, additional actions may be taken to facilitate traffic and increase the permeability of vehicles, the road agency specified.
The Road Traffic Agency appeals to drivers to drive carefully and at a reasonable speed, to comply with traffic rules and not to undertake risky overtaking and not to use emergency lanes on highways for faster movement in heavy traffic, as this prevents the passage of vehicles with a special traffic regime in the event of an accident.
Since the beginning of September, the implementation of sectional control to measure the average speed of movement on certain sections of the national road network has been in force.