The municipal road through the Arabakonak Pass will be repaired in about 20 days, depending on weather conditions. For this purpose, starting tomorrow, surveyors will survey the route in order to assess the necessary activities for its restoration. This will allow it to be used as a bypass route until the completion of the major repair of the “Topli Dol“ tunnel on the “Hemus“ highway. The contractor of the facility will also repair the road through the pass. Between the two municipalities, as owners of the route through the Arabakonak Pass, and the “Road Infrastructure“ Agency an agreement will be signed that will regulate the implementation of the necessary construction activities.
This became clear at a meeting held today at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Bulgaria between the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Arch. Ivan Shishkov, the mayors of the municipalities of Botevgrad and Gorna Malina - Ivan Gavalyugov and Eng. Angel Zhilanov, Eng. Alexander Todorov and Eng. Ventsislav Angelov from the Management Board of the “Agency “Road Infrastructure“, and Ognyan Pavlov - representative of the contractor for the repair of the tunnel.
From Friday, the repair of the “Topli Dol“ tunnel will be carried out in two shifts, Minister Shishkov announced at a briefing after the meeting and added that in this regard he expects the contractor to present a new work schedule, and his work will be constantly monitored. He reminded that around December 18, traffic will be carried out through both pipes of the facility, and after the Christmas and New Year holidays, construction work will continue.
Minister Shishkov emphasized that our infrastructure is extremely outdated. And he noted that there was no way the “Topli Dol“ tunnel on the “Hemus“ highway would not be closed due to its critical condition, because “we don't want ambulances instead of traffic jams“. Due to its current condition, the bypass road through Vitinya cannot be used as a bypass, since nothing has been done to restore the damaged anchor wall along its route in the last two years. The procedure for awarding reinforcement began back in 2024. To date, a contractor has been selected and a project is pending approval, but this has happened thanks to the efforts over the past 4-5 months, the regional minister said.
“We are in infrastructure poverty. We have no highways, we have no bypass roads. From now on, we must complete all highways in Bulgaria“, the regional minister was categorical. He pointed out that if there had been a tunnel under the Petrohan Pass, there would have been no comment on the need for bypass routes during the repair of the tunnel on the “Hemus“ motorway.
Eng. Alexander Todorov informed that at a meeting held yesterday with representatives of the transport industry, a temporary traffic organization for heavy goods vehicles was discussed, which is being introduced to facilitate traffic during the major repair of the “Topli Dol“ tunnel. On Friday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., traffic on the "Hemus" highway will be restricted to motor vehicles over 12 tons traveling to Botevgrad. On Sunday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Monday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., truck traffic to Sofia will be suspended. The alternative route for trucks will be through the "Petrohan" pass and through the Iskar Gorge, and their traffic will be one-way.