Road expert Diana Rusinova disseminated data from specialized measurements on the twenty-fifth kilometer of the “Hemus“ highway to prove the urgent need for the repairs carried out there in the direction of Varna. As Diana Rusinova wrote on her social media profile, the official tests for resistance to slipping show a huge difference in the safety of the route before and after the laying of the new pavement, which is a direct response to the dissatisfaction and criticism of citizens during the holidays.
The reason for Rusinova's reaction was the comments of dozens of users who in recent days questioned the appropriateness of the construction work on this particular section. With the all-round competence inherent in social networks, critics were quick to declare the renovation unnecessary.
“Over the weekend, we received many comments related to the fact that, according to some people, repairs should not have been made exactly at km 25 of the AM 2 “Hemus“. In Bulgaria, we love to comment on everything and be competent on all issues“, Rusinova points out on the network.
However, the reality turns out to be radically different from online opinions, and the statistics on road injuries at this point are startling. According to her, the route in the direction of Varna was a real trap for drivers in deteriorated weather conditions. “In this particular section, every time it rained, there were always at least 4-5 traffic accidents“, she adds.
To give a clear answer to the lay criticism, Rusinova shared a detailed diagram reflecting the real condition of the pavement. According to the presented graph, the slip and slide resistance in the section before the repair was beyond criticism. A red line is drawn on the drawing, which marks the mandatory state minimum for safety, below which the adhesion of the tires to the road becomes life-threatening.
Before the construction activities, the indicators, illustrated by a bright green line, were almost entirely below the critical limit of 0.55 units, and at certain points they fell close to zero. This is also the real reason for the mass accidents on wet pavement. After the repair was completed, however, the situation changed radically. The blue line, showing the new condition of the renewed asphalt, is positioned firmly in the safe zone between 0.8 and 1.0 units.
Despite the successful securing of the twenty-fifth kilometer, the problems on the key road artery are far from being completely resolved. The route hides dozens of more risk zones that are yet to be subjected to a technical audit, in the hope that the state will respond adequately before new incidents occur.
“The fact is that there are other such sections on this highway that are critical and this summer we will do exactly that, we will carry out inspections of all other points where we have identified similar problems in the hope that the state will repair its infrastructure“, emphasizes Rusinova. She calls on the individual risk points not to oppose each other, since security requires a comprehensive approach. “The important thing is that the dangerous sections on the “Hemus“ are one less“, she summarizes.