The Construction of Section Sandanski – Kulata of Struma Motorway under Operational Program Transport is Completed

Lot 4 Sandanski – Kulata of Struma motorway from km 423+800 to km 438+500 was officially opened today. The Project is cо-financed by the Cohesion Fund of the European Union and the National Budget under Operational Program Transport 2007-2013.

The new motorway section was opened by the Chairman of the Management Board of Road Infrastructure Agency, eng. Lazar Lazarov, the Regional Governor of Blagoevgrad, Biser Mihaylov, along with eng. Apostol Nikolov and eng. Tony Stanimirov from the contractor company. “Let there be peace on the roads. Let all the drivers have blessed and safe journey”, bishop Serafim from Nevrokop wished while serving the blessing with holy water.

With the construction of this section as well we are gradually building up the motorway ring needed by Bulgaria, emphasized eng. Lazarov. He thanked the team of Road Infrastructure Agency and the builders for the dedicated work done in the last few months. With our joint efforts we quickly managed to overcome the accumulated delay. The builders performed a real act of heroism and executed enormous volume of work, eng. Lazarov indicated. The Chairman of the Management Board of Road Infrastructure Agency thanked the residents from the municipalities of Sandanski and Petrich, whose populated areas the transit traffic for Greece passed through during the construction of the section, for their patience. We will repair the bypass routes by the end of the construction season in conformity with the commitment we have undertaken, the Chairman of the Management Board of Road Infrastructure Agency said.

The length of Lot 4 is 14,7 km. The Contractor is „AKTOR” ASD – Greece. The value of the Contract is BGN 67 176 000 inclusive of VAT. The construction supervision was exercised by Patinvest – Engineering AD. Their Contract is for BGN 356 419,20 inclusive of VAT.

The route of the section passes through the territories of the municipalities of Sandanski and Petrich. With the construction of the section the traffic to Greece passes outside the town of Petrich and the villages of Chuchuligovo, Marino Pole and Kulata. Thus traveling will become faster and safer and the transit traffic will already be outsiude the populated areas located in the proximity of the motorway.

Road junction “Petrich – Melnik” at km 425+180, road junction “General Todorov” at km 431+228, road connections to the villages of Novo Delchevo and Damyanitsa and for Marikostinovo at km 433+355 were built up within the section. The intersections of the roads from the national road network are implemented on two levels. There are four agricultural overpasses for servicing the farmers. Two railway overpasses and four bridges were constructed – over the Levunovska River, Potoka, Sklavska and the Marikostinska River. A new route of the railway line Sofia – Kulata was built up within the section General Todorov – Marino Pole with length of 4,2 km.

The road carriageway is 29 m wide in total, and each lane is 3,75 m, and the emergency lanes are 2,5 m. The horizontal marking placed is spray plastic with light reflective beads which enhances its visibility during the night and the safety of the traffic.

The total length of Struma motorway – from Daskalovo to Border Control Checkpoint Kulata is 150 km. With funds from Operational Program Transport 2007-2013 Road Infrastructure Agency builds up 68,96 km in total. Lot 1 Dolna Dikanya – Dupnitsa (16,78 km) – is completed, Lot 2 Dupnitsa – Blagoevgrad (37,48 km) – is in a process of execution and Lot 4 Sandanski – Kulata (14,7 km). The motorway is a part of Pan European Transport Corridor No IV and of the Trans-European North – South Motorway. The road traffic for Greece passes along it.

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