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The Bulgarian government has approved a roadmap for completing the Struma Highway, outlining the necessary steps, responsible institutions, and deadlines for the project's implementation. The plan ensures compliance with legal, technical, and environmental requirements. A permanent expert group will oversee the process, including representatives from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, the Road Infrastructure Agency, the Ministry of Environment and Waters, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and the State Agency for Road Safety. Additionally, members of the Coalition "Let's Save the Kresna Gorge" will participate as stakeholders. The expert group will be formed under the leadership of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Transport.
The roadmap was developed in collaboration between Bulgarian authorities and the Coalition, following recommendations from the Bern Convention. The Convention Secretariat facilitated discussions, leading to an agreement on the necessity of advancing the motorway's construction.
According to the project timeline, a public procurement procedure will be launched to develop a conceptual design for the motorway section between Simitli and Kresna, ensuring the Sofia-Kulata route bypasses the Kresna Gorge. The contract with the selected contractor is expected to be signed by June, with at least six months required for implementation.
Further steps include an environmental procedure before preparing the investment project, scheduled for completion by December 2027. This process involves technical design and a detailed development plan. The construction phase is projected to conclude by June 2031. The roadmap also includes temporary mitigation and safety measures, as well as post-construction actions.
One of the post-implementation measures involves rehabilitating the existing E79 road with mitigation measures, which will be carried out after the new motorway section is built and two-way traffic is transferred onto it. The project terms emphasize that the E79 route through the Kresna Gorge will serve only as a supplementary or local road, rather than functioning as the western lane of the motorway, as previously considered under the Eastern D10.50 variant.
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