Struma Motorway

Full name of the project

Struma Motorway – Lot 3.1, Lot 3.3 and Zheleznitsa Tunnel

BG16M1OP001-2.001-0001-C03

Short name of the project

Struma Motorway

Fund

Cohesion Fund

Operational programme

Transport and Тransport infrastructure 2014-2020

Country

Bulgaria

Region

South-West region, Province of Blagoevgrad

Short description of the project

Struma Motorway is part of the Orient/East-Med corridor, which in Bulgaria connects Vidin with Kulata. The motorway is named after the Struma River, along with it.

By a decision of the Council of Ministers on 27 December 2018, the Struma Motorway also joined the Lyulin AM. Thus the section between Sofia and Pernik is part of the road Sofia — Pernik — Dupnitsa — Blagoevgrad — Simitna — Kresna — Sandanski – Greece border section.

Description of the project and objectives

The total length of the Struma Motorway from Daskalovо to the border with Greece is 150 km. It is part of the Orient/East-Med corridor, connecting Vidin with Kulata and the road traffic to Greece passes through it. By decision of the Council of Ministers on 27 December 2018, the Struma Motorway also joined the Lyulin AM. Thus the section between Sofia and Pernik is part of the road Sofia — Pernik — Dupnitsa — Blagoevgrad — Simitna — Kresna — Sandanski – Greece border section. The heading is used as the shortest route between West, Central Europe and the White Sea, and also as the connection of Europe with Asia. More information about the Orient/East-Med Corridor  https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/infrastructure/orient-east-med_en

The Struma motorway, Lot 3, with an overall length of about 70 km, is divided into three subdivisions:

• Lot 3.1 “Blagoevgrad — Krupnik” 12.6 km. Provision is made for the construction of bridge structures, overpasses, agricultural underpasses, road underpasses, “Blagoevgrad South” junction and large road node for the town of Simitli. The motorway track will be in the frame of the gauge A29 with two lanes;
• Lot 3.1 Zheleznitza Tunnel 4.4 km;
• Lot 3.2 “Krupnik Kresna” 29.1 km;
• Lot 3.3 between Kresna and Sandanski — includes construction of a motorway  from km 397 + 000 to km 420 + 624. The gauge is a motorway (A29). In this lot, the motorway is close to the Struma river and crosses it twice on km 405 + 380 and km 406 + 700. It is crossing tributaries of the river — the River Zoliska River at km 401 + 810 and the river Tsamareska at km 405 + 500.In the section between Kresna and Sandanski, there are 3 road nodes — Kresna road node, Strumyani road node and Sandanski road node, 25 large facilities — bridges, overpasses of railway Sofia — Kulata, agricultural underpasses and overpasses, and 4 recreational grounds.

The objectives of the project cover:

• increasing the employment and generating economic growth by ensuring effective access and improving connectivity within and beyond Bulgaria;
• improving social and territorial cohesion;
• improving road safety;
• reduction of travel time for cross-border and interurban traffic;
• support for emission reduction targets;
• improving the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and the future interconnection of the European road infrastructure, from which the Struma motorway is part.

Results, achievements, impact

On 17.12.2018, 23.6 km of Struma motorway were put into operation between the Kresna and Sandanski section: lot 3.3 from km 397 + 000 to km 420 + 624.

Completion of the motorway will ensure a significant improvement of the road network in South East Europe and will allow for enhanced cooperation between countries in the south of the Balkans. The completion of the motorway is of strategic importance for the development of the regions and for the direct route through Bulgaria to the Aegean Sea.

Putting into service the Struma motorway, Lot 3 will contribute to:

• Improving the standard, reducing congestion and increasing speed by removing capacity constraints on the Southern branch of the Orient/East-Med Corridor;
• Stimulating the growth of passenger and freight traffic by adapting to EU standards for travel as well as providing better services for end users;
• Improving traffic safety and reducing the number of accidents by exporting transit traffic outside populated areas and providing better driving conditions;
• Reducing the environmental impact and reducing pollution.

Project Budget

Total cost of the project — BGN 764 801 346.73

Total value of expenditure eligible under OPTTI — BGN 759 064 037.75

% EU Contribution

85 %

European

co-financing

in BGN

626 492 544,53

National co-financing

in BGN

113 768 509,25

Own funds

24 540 292,95 

Start Date

24.09.2015 (date of grant agreement)

End Date

31.12.2022 (deadline for grant agreement)

Beneficiary

Road Infrastructure Agency

Contacts 

of the

beneficiary

Address: 1606 Sofia, 3 Macedonia Blvd, phone: 02/91 73 248, 02/91 73 246; fax: 02/986 6958, 02/988 8132

Chairman of the Board of the Road Infrastructure Agency — Mr. Georgi Terziiski

Project website 

http://www.api.bg/index.php/bg/proekti/opt/am-struma-lot-31/

Other media for the project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acVoNIziMnY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG_RRaZI7mI

http://2020.eufunds.bg/bg/2/0/Project/Details?contractId=7eDm9VE5gBk%3D&isHistoric=False