Europe motorway explained

Country:BGR
Type:A
Route:6
Length Km:63
Length Notes:47km (29miles) built
16.16km (10.04miles) under construction
Terminus A:Sofia
Terminus B:Kalotina ;
Cities:Sofia, Slivnitsa
Map:Bulgarian_A7.svg
Map Notes:Europe motorway highlighted in red and yellow

The Europe motorway (Bulgarian: Avtomagistrala "Evropa"), designated A6, is a motorway[1] that will link the Bulgarian capital Sofia with Serbia at the Kalotina border crossing. Spanning approximately 64.15km (39.86miles), the motorway is planned to be connected with the Serbian A4 motorway.

In 2018 the government changed its name from Kalotina motorway to Europe motorway, as well as merging the Northern Sofia Bypass in it and designating it A6.[2]

Tenders

The first 31.5 km of the motorway (Kalotina–Herakovo) were tendered in 2012,[3] and the construction works were expected to begin in 2013.[4] [5] The route in the tendered section follows the existing major road 8/European route E80 road and also is part of Pan-European Corridor X, branch C. In October 2013 the tender procedure was cancelled due to lacking financing under the allocated for Bulgaria EU funds.[6]

In May 2014, the section between Kalotina and Herakovo was retendered. This time it has been divided into 2 sublots, Kalotina-Dragoman and Dragoman-Herakovo. The costs are estimated at 200 million levs (102.26 million euro).[7] [8] Later, this tender also was cancelled.

On September 13, 2017, the sections Kalotina-Dragoman and Dragoman-Slivnitsa were put to tender; Strabag is to build the first section, GBS-Infrastructure the latter.[9]

Construction

Construction of the 17 km long Dragoman - Slivnitsa section was launched in the second half of May 2019 and was opened in November 2020[10] Construction of Dragoman - Kalotina section is currently ongoing. There is presently a 4-lane undivided highway between Slivnitsa and the Sofia Ring Road.

Exits

Northern Bypass Highway

The Northern Bypass Highway or Sofia Northern Speed Tangent (Bulgarian: Severna Skorostna Tangenta) is a dual carriageway, grade separated road with controlled-access, designed for high speeds. The Northern Bypass has three traffic lanes and an emergency lane in each carriageway. The motorway gets around the Bulgarian capital Sofia from north to carry the transit traffic, which otherwise would pass through the city or via the Sofia Ring Road.

The Bypass is an important thoroughfare, as it connects four motorways - A1 Trakia motorway (via the Sofia ring road), A2 Hemus motorway and the A3 Struma motorway. Also, it connects 3 Pan-European corridors - IV, VIII and X.

Construction

In 2012, a tender for construction was announced.[14] Construction works were expected to begin in 2013,[15] [16] but due to litigation the contract for design and build was signed in February 2014.[17] The term for implementation of the contract is 18 months. Due to land expropriation issues,[18] the construction works started in February 2015.[19]

The first 13 kilometers of the motorway were opened in the end of 2015[20] and the remaining segment was inaugurated on 28 April 2016.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Construction of Sofia-Kalotina Motorway . Operational programme on Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014 – 2020 . 9 September 2018.
  2. News: Правителството създаде нова магистрала – "Европа" . 28 December 2018 . dnevnik . bg.
  3. Web site: Tender for construction of Kalotina motorway. napi via aop.bg.
  4. News: 400 M leva needed for two roads near Sofia . monitor . 2013-06-03 . Bulgarian . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130928020726/http://www.monitor.bg/article?id=375697 . 2013-09-28 .
  5. News: 10 applicants for 32 km of Sofia-Kalotina motorway. infrastructure.bg. 2013-03-15. Bulgarian. 2013-03-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045423/http://infrastructure.bg/show.php?storyid=2023224. 2016-03-04. dead.
  6. Web site: РЕШЕНИЕ Номер: 169 от 17.10.2013 г. за прекратяване на процедура за възлагане на обществена поръчка. aop.bg.
  7. Web site: "Определяне на изпълнител за проектиране и строителството на обект: " Модернизация на съществуващото трасе на път І-8 "Калотина-СОП" с две обособени позиции, както следва: Обособена позиция 1: Участък 1 от км 1 + 000 до км 15+500 Обособена позиция 2: Участък 2 от км 15+500 до км 32+447. aop.bg. Bulgarian. 21 May 2014.
  8. News: Bulgaria's Sofia-Kalotina Highway Section Procurement Announced. novinite.com. 21 May 2014.
  9. News: Austrian and Bulgarian Companies will Build the Sofia-Kalotina Highway . Novinite.com . Sofia, Bulgaria . 2018-07-30 . 2022-09-04.
  10. Web site: Ноември пускат първата част от АМ "Европа". 5 October 2020.
  11. Web site: Участък от автомагистрала "Европа" ще бъде открит в четвъртък . www.bta.bg . 28 April 2023 . bg.
  12. Web site: Участък от автомагистрала "Европа" ще бъде открит в четвъртък . www.bta.bg . 28 April 2023 . bg.
  13. Web site: Участък от автомагистрала "Европа" ще бъде открит в четвъртък . www.bta.bg . 28 April 2023 . bg.
  14. Web site: Eleven Tenders Were Opened for the Design and Construction of the North-Speed Tangent. api.government.bg. 17 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130408054703/http://www.api.government.bg/index.php/Home/3031-Eleven-tenders-were-opened-for-the-design-and-construction-of-the-North-Speed-Tangent. 8 April 2013. dead.
  15. News: 400 M leva needed for two roads near Sofia. monitor. 6 March 2013. Bulgarian. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130928020726/http://www.monitor.bg/article?id=375697. 28 September 2013.
  16. News: Only 4 price bids opened in the tender for Northern tangent. infrastructure.bg. 12 March 2013. Bulgarian.
  17. News: Започва проектирането и строителството на Северната скоростна тангента. vestnikstroitel.bg. 17 February 2014.
  18. News: АПИ преговаря за отчуждаването на имоти за Северната скоростна тангента. infrastructure.bg. 6 January 2015. Bulgarian.
  19. Web site: The Construction of North Speed Tangent Starts up. RIA. 18 February 2015.
  20. News: Пуснаха движението по 13-километров участък от Северната скоростна тангента. infrastructure.bg. 30 December 2015. bg. 28 December 2018. 26 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160126092014/http://infrastructure.bg/show.php?storyid=2677709. dead.
  21. Web site: Изцяло е пусната за движение Северната скоростна тангента. API. bg. 28 April 2016.

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