About 490 thousand cars are expected to leave Sofia on the weekends around May 24 – The Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture, and of Slavic Literature, announced the Agency “Road Infrastructure“ (API). The forecast covers the period until May 26, Tuesday, with the most intense traffic on the last working day before the holiday – May 22, Friday, as well as on the last day off - May 25, Monday, BTA specified.
On Friday, it is estimated that about 42 thousand cars will pass along the “Trakia“ motorway (AM), and on the “Struma“ AM – 24 thousand, and on the "Hemus" motorway - over 18 thousand. Traditionally, for the entire period, the most cars will be on the "Trakia" motorway - nearly 204 thousand vehicles, on the "Struma" motorway - over 111 thousand, and on the "Hemus" motorway - about 85 thousand.
During peak hours, the movement of trucks over 12 tons will be limited on the "Trakia" and "Struma" motorways. and “Hemus“, as well as on a section of road I-1 in Blagoevgrad district, added the RIA.
On May 22, Friday, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the movement of heavy trucks over 12 tons leaving Sofia will be restricted. On Saturday, May 23, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., the movement of vehicles over 12 tons will be restricted, and on Monday, May 25 - from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. On all three days, vehicles over 12 tons traveling to the capital will move without restrictions.
During the weekend restriction, drivers of heavy trucks over 12 tons can use alternative sections of the republican road, observing the current permanent traffic organization, the road agency also said.
The restrictions will be on the busiest road routes - the “Trakia“ and “Hemus“, in the section from the exit of Sofia (at km 0) to the road connection at the roundabout with road I-4 (87th km), on the “Struma“ motorway and on road I-1 in the section from the “Simitli“ junction (376th km) to the “Kresna“ junction on the “Struma“ motorway (402nd km).
In another section with expected heavy traffic - road I-1 in the Simitli region, reversing traffic will be introduced to facilitate travel. This will increase traffic safety for those traveling to Bansko and the other tourist complexes in the region. On May 22 and 23, the crossing in the direction of Kulata will be carried out in two lanes, and traffic towards Sofia will be carried out in one lane. On May 25, two lanes will be provided for cars traveling towards Sofia and one in the direction of Kulata. The intensity of traffic in the area is constantly monitored and, if necessary, reverse traffic may be introduced on other weekends.
Traffic in the Sofia lane will also be limited in the section of the Struma Motorway between km 97 and 104. Cars traveling from Sandanski to Blagoevgrad will take a detour from the road junction at km 104 on the I-1 Sofia Kulata road to the Blagoevgrad South junction. The reason for the temporary arrangement is the landslide at km 103 of the Struma Motorway due to the overmoistening of the slope. Until the necessary restoration activities are carried out and traffic safety is ensured, the passage in the Sofia lane will be restricted. The movement of travelers towards Sandanski and Kulata on the Struma Motorway is unrestricted.
The introduced restrictions do not apply to road vehicles over 12 tons that carry out public passenger transport, as well as to motor vehicles that transport dangerous goods (ADR), live animals, perishable food products and temperature-controlled cargo and specialized carcass trucks traveling on Hemus, Struma and the section of road I-1 in Blagoevgrad district. On the Trakia Motorway, the ban does not apply to public passenger transport, but in the direction of Sofia and to vehicles with dangerous goods (ADR) in the section from p.v. “Ihtiman“(34th km) to the “Vakarel“ junction (23rd km).
The purpose of the restrictions is to make travel easier, to increase traffic safety, to limit the prerequisites for traffic accidents due to improper overtaking and the formation of a column of heavy goods vehicles in heavy traffic.
Drivers are provided with an interactive traffic map on the websites of the RIA and the National Toll Administration, which shows in real time the number of vehicles that have passed in the last 15 minutes and the last hour, the RIA said.
The organization of traffic on a section of the western arc of the Sofia Ring Road has also been temporarily changed - from the “Struma“ junction to the bridge over the Kakach River, in the area of the “Lyulin“ district. The route will be worked on tonight from 8:00 PM until 6:00 AM on Friday, May 22.