The series of serious accidents with trucks that literally tear apart the highway guardrails and enter the oncoming traffic has raised serious questions about road safety in our country. It turns out that the widely used metal fences are completely unsuitable for stopping a heavy truck. At the same time, they cost many times more than the far safer reinforced concrete alternatives. This became clear from the words of the road expert, designer and builder Eng. Vladimir Zhiyanski on the air of “Hello, Bulgaria” on NOVA.
“These guardrails are plastic above all. They have no elasticity. According to the manufacturers themselves and representatives of the investors, their strength is up to 1,500 kilograms. They are obviously unsuitable. It is impossible for them to stop a large truck, a small truck and even some of the larger heavy vehicles”, was categorical Eng. Zhiyanski.
He explained that when hitting a metal guardrail, there is a huge risk that the metal rails will penetrate the car's interior. In contrast, reinforced concrete fences have a larger sliding surface that absorbs the impact and prevents the vehicle from entering the oncoming lane - a situation that most often leads to fatal head-on collisions.
The data presented by the expert show a drastic difference in the prices of the two facilities, which is detrimental to the state budget.
”The price of the highest class of metal guardrails varies between 800 and 1000 leva per linear meter. And for reinforced concrete fences of the “New Jersey” type the value varies between 200 and 300 leva. That is, they are almost three times cheaper”, revealed Eng. Zhiyanski.
As for why the state continues to choose the more expensive and less efficient metal facilities, the expert is categorical: “Corruption, lobbying and that's it. And from now on, absolutely the same should not be allowed. No compromise”.
Eng. Zhiyanski pointed out that two years ago a new regulation was adopted, which explicitly stated that the future of road safety should be built on reinforced concrete systems. According to his data, the H2 system holds trucks up to 13 tons, and the higher class H4B can stop a hit from a 38-ton truck.
Despite the regulation, however, a huge grace period has been left for replacing the old equipment, which raises bewilderment among experts.
“A period of 10 years has been given for their replacement. What if we want to lose another 200-300 people on the roads, we may have to wait 15 or 20 years”, indignantly asked Eng. Zhiyanski.