70 reinforced concrete panels were dismantled and 68 new ones were installed during the repair of the Danube Bridge at Ruse

Increased traffic of returning tourists to Romania, high temperatures and low levels
of the Danube at Oryahovo - the reason for the wait at the border crossing

70 reinforced concrete panels have been dismantled and 68 new ones have been installed so far during the main repair of the Danube Bridge at Ruse. Only in the last week - from 21st to 27th of August, 22 panels were removed and 20 panels were installed. Work continues on the installation of bolted dowels, reinforcement and formwork to anchor the reinforced concrete and corbel panels.

Over the next few days, the schedule of work on the bridge includes sandblasting the steel structure, applying corrosion protection, installing corbel panels, and removing, installing and fabricating reinforced concrete panels.

Experts report that the accumulation of vehicles in recent days is due to several key indicators such as: increased traffic of tourists returning to Romania, the high temperatures in the past days, during which there is a ban on the movement of heavy vehicles and the low levels of the Danube in the area of Oryahovo, due to which the ferry is temporarily suspended.  For these reasons, in recent days there has been an increase in traffic to the Danube Bridge at Ruse. The data shows that there is an increase in the number of cars and trucks passing through the border crossing between 23.08.2024 and 27.08.2024. On average, 6140 cars and 853 heavy goods vehicles passed daily in the direction of Romania. In such situations, priority is given to handling light traffic and buses.

It is expected that in the next few days the traffic will decrease and the travel across the Danube Bridge will return to normal. Faster passage for trucks will be after the launch of a ferry line between Ruse and Giurgiu, which is expected to take about 30% of the load.

The main repair of the Danube Bridge at Ruse started on July 10, in a section about 200 m long in the entrance lane to Bulgaria. Traffic is restricted and the exit lane in the direction of Romania is regulated by traffic lights. Construction activities are being carried out without traffic stoppages and the facility will not be closed. The site is open 10-12 hours per day, during daylight hours. The work process shall be organised and carried out in such a way that vehicles pass in a staggered two-way manner in the lane not being worked in.

During the overhaul of the facility, the maximum permissible width of passing vehicles is 2.75 m and the total mass is up to 60 tonnes. Oversized vehicles do not pass.

In order to improve safety, the RIA works in constant coordination and close cooperation with the Border Police, the Customs Agency, the Automobile Administration Agency, the Ruse Municipality and the Ruse Regional Administration. The appeal to the drivers and residents of Ruse is to show understanding and patience, to drive carefully, at a reasonable speed, to strictly observe the traffic signals and not to undertake risky overtaking, which could endanger the safety and lives of all travellers.

Up-to-date information on the repair works can be found in the special section "Information on the Danube Bridge repair" on the website of the Road Infrastructure Agency. The Agency team will provide regular updates on facility repairs and is available for further questions and clarifications. This is the only way to ensure accurate, precise and correct information to all travellers.