Europe motorway

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

Europe motorway
Автомагистрала „Европа“
Europe motorway highlighted in red and yellow
Route information
Part of E80
Length33.49 km (20.81 mi)
14.5 km (9.0 mi) under construction
16.16 km (10.04 mi) planned
Major junctions
FromSofia
ToKalotina ;
Location
Major citiesSofia, Slivnitsa
Highway system
Motorways in Bulgaria

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]

Northern Speed Tangent
Sofia Northern Bypass

The Northern Bypass Highway (Bulgarian: Северна скоростна тангента, Severna Skorostna Tangenta) or Sofia Northern Speed Tangent is a dual carriageway, grade separated road with controlled-access, designed for high speeds. The bypass has three traffic lanes and an emergency lane in each carriageway. It bypasses the Bulgarian capital Sofia from north with the purpose to carry the transit traffic, which otherwise has to 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.[11] Construction works were expected to begin in 2013,[12][13] but due to litigation the contract for design and build was signed in February 2014.[14] The term for implementation of the contract is 18 months. Due to land expropriation issues,[15] the construction works started in February 2015.[16]

The first 13 kilometers of the motorway were opened in the end of 2015[17] and the remaining segment was inaugurated on 28 April 2016.[18]

Exits
Exit km Destinations Notes
0 Sofia ring road (and ) In service
Rozhen blvd. Not yet in service
Iliyantsi blvd. Not yet in service
Chepinsko shose str. In service
East tangent, Sofia Airport Not yet in service
16.5 , Sofia ring road (and ) In service
  • Europe motorway near Slivnitsa
  • Europe motorway
  • Europe motorway

Notes

    References
    1. "Construction of Sofia-Kalotina Motorway". Operational programme on Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014 – 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
    2. "Правителството създаде нова магистрала – "Европа"" (in Bulgarian). dnevnik. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
    3. "Tender for construction of Kalotina motorway". napi via aop.bg.
    4. "400 M leva needed for two roads near Sofia". monitor (in Bulgarian). 2013-06-03. Archived from the original on 2013-09-28.
    5. "10 applicants for 32 km of Sofia-Kalotina motorway". infrastructure.bg (in Bulgarian). 2013-03-15. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-03-15.
    6. "РЕШЕНИЕ Номер: 169 от 17.10.2013 г. за прекратяване на процедура за възлагане на обществена поръчка". aop.bg.
    7. ""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" (in Bulgarian). aop.bg. 21 May 2014.
    8. "Bulgaria's Sofia-Kalotina Highway Section Procurement Announced". novinite.com. 21 May 2014.
    9. https://www.novinite.com/articles/191358/Austrian+and+Bulgarian+Companies+will+Build+the+Sofia-Kalotina+Highway
    10. https://news.bg/bulgaria/noemvri-puskat-parvata-chast-ot-am-evropa.html
    11. "Eleven Tenders Were Opened for the Design and Construction of the North-Speed Tangent". api.government.bg. Archived from the original on 8 April 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
    12. "400 M leva needed for two roads near Sofia". monitor (in Bulgarian). 6 March 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013.
    13. "Only 4 price bids opened in the tender for Northern tangent". infrastructure.bg (in Bulgarian). 12 March 2013.
    14. "Започва проектирането и строителството на Северната скоростна тангента". vestnikstroitel.bg. 17 February 2014.
    15. "АПИ преговаря за отчуждаването на имоти за Северната скоростна тангента" (in Bulgarian). infrastructure.bg. 6 January 2015.
    16. "The Construction of North Speed Tangent Starts up". RIA. 18 February 2015.
    17. "Пуснаха движението по 13-километров участък от Северната скоростна тангента" (in Bulgarian). infrastructure.bg. 30 December 2015.
    18. "Изцяло е пусната за движение Северната скоростна тангента" (in Bulgarian). API. 28 April 2016.

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