From 24 June traffic is restricted on the section Mezdra - Lyutidol - p. c. "Novachene" on the I-1 roa

Heavy trucks will not pass through the Petrokhan Pass during peak hours and on weekends

From 24 June the traffic of all types of motor vehicles is restricted on the section Mezdra - Lyutidol - p. c. "Novachene" on I-1. The change in the traffic organization is necessary for the completion of the road junctions at two levels - “Mezdra”, “Durmantsi” and “Rebаrkovo" and the modernization of the road Mezdra - Botevgrad in the section from 161 to 194 km.

Road Infrastructure Agency apologises to the drivers and the citizens through whose settlements the transit traffic will pass for the inconvenience caused. Diverting traffic on detour routes inconveniences citizens and motorists alike, but the shutdown is necessary to provide both travel safety and a construction site for the I-1 upgrade, which will be twice as wide as the current alignment. In order to increase the safety of travellers and residents of the settlements through which the traffic will pass, RIA works in constant coordination and close cooperation with the General Directorate of National Police. The Appeal to the drivers and residents of the settlements in the region 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 commuters.

The following detour routes may be used during the construction activities:

For vehicles up to 3.5 t the detour route is:

• On road III-1004 Pavolche - Chelopek - road III-1602 Chelopek - s. Lyutibrod - road II-16 Lyutibrod - Eliseina - Svoge - Sofia ring road and vice versa.

For vehicles over 3.5 t the detour routes are:

• road II-13 Krapchene — Krivodol — Borovan — Byala Slatina — Knezha — Dolni Dabnik — road I-3 Dolni Dabnik — Cherven Bryag — Lukovit — Zlatna Panega — Hemus Motorway and vice versa;
• road II-15 Vratsa — Borovan — road II-13 Borovan — Byala Slatina — Knezha — Dolni Dabnik — road I-3 Dolni Dabnik — Cherven Bryag — Lukovit — Zlatna Panega — Hemus Motorway and vice versa.

Possible diversion routes for vehicles over 3.5 t include the following routes:

• Only in the direction of Montana - on Hemus Motorway - road I-3 Yablanitsa - Zlatna Panega - road III-3082 Zlatna Panega - Roman - road III-103 Roman - Mezdra - p. c. "Moravitsa" - road I-1 p. c. Moravitsa - Vratsa - Montana.

• Only in the direction of Sofia on the second-class road II-81 through the Petrohan Pass - until 15 October 2024.

When the construction works start on Monday - 24 June, heavy vehicles will not be able to pass through Petrohan during peak hours and on weekends. The pass will be closed to heavy trucks Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., as well as on Saturday and Sunday. This means that heavy trucks will only be able to pass through Petrohan on weekdays from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm and at night. The bypass through Petrohan will be introduced for a period of 30 days during which time a traffic analysis will be carried out to assess whether a change is necessary. In order to ensure compliance with the organization of traffic through the Petrohan Pass, it is planned to have a checkpoint with a patrol.

During the execution of the works in the section Lyutidol - p. c. "Novachene" the traffic can be carried out on the road III-161 Reberkovo - Lyutidol - Botevgrad or on the municipal road Tipchenitsa - Lipnitsa - Novachene. From Novachene junction to the stage connection at km 192+140 the traffic will be on the newly built four-lane road I-1.

Drivers can also use other national roads as detour routes, observing the permanent traffic organisation in force for them.

The temporary traffic safety order for the section from 161st to 194th on road
I-1 is scheduled to be in place in December 2024.

The traffic stop in the section Lyutidol - p. c. "Novachene" /from km 172+640 to km 185+600/ is related to the construction of the road junction "Lyutidol", correction of the Mala River with shifting of the river bed and passing from the left of the road to the right, in a partially covered section under an embankment. The total length of the river correction is nearly 2 km along the road. It is necessary to construct a multiple facilities - an overpass, two reinforcement walls with a total length of 260 m, a reinforced concrete retaining wall - 86 m, a partial reinforcement pile wall - 140 m, a deep excavation - nearly 40 m. A 256 m long reinforced concrete retaining wall and crossings of old and new road, etc. will also be made.

The full text of the temporary traffic organization and safety orders for the section of road I-1 are in the attachments link.