Bulgaria Opens New 3 km Section of Hemus Highway Near Dermantsi

Traffic is set to open around noon today on a newly completed 3-kilometre stretch of the Hemus highway, according to the Road Infrastructure Agency. The section runs from the Dermantsi substation to the temporary connection with the III-307 Lukovit–Ugarchin road at kilometre 103 of the highway and will initially be accessible to vehicles weighing up to 12 tonnes.

With the opening of this segment, construction of Section 1 of the Hemus highway is now fully completed. Earlier, on October 5, traffic was already launched on a separate 10-kilometre stretch between the Boaza and Dermantsi road junctions, marking another key step in improving connectivity in northern Bulgaria.

Section 1 includes two major road junctions, Boaza and Dermantsi, which link the new motorway alignment to the existing republican road network in the area. The section is also notable for its complex engineering infrastructure, including four large bridge facilities over the Vit River, located at kilometres 89, 90, 91 and 98. Each bridge consists of two separate structures, one for each direction of travel, with two traffic lanes per direction.

The bridge at kilometre 89 is 534 metres long, features 17 spans, and reaches a height of 12 metres. The following bridge, at kilometre 90, is among the longest in the section, with the right carriageway measuring 694.2 metres and the left 730.7 metres. For additional structural stability, five beams have been installed in each span, connected by a reinforced concrete monolithic slab. The bridge at kilometre 91 has a length of 632.8 metres, while the structure at kilometre 98 extends for 221 metres.

To limit environmental impact and reduce noise from heavy traffic, noise-protection barriers have been installed on all bridges, as well as along stretches of approximately 100 metres before and after each bridge on both sides of the roadway. In addition, two viaducts have been constructed at kilometres 100 and 101, with lengths of 440 metres and 352 metres respectively.

The newly completed highway section also includes significant local connectivity infrastructure. Six agricultural underpasses and overpasses have been built, along with six additional underpasses and overpasses at intersections with republican and municipal roads. A dedicated rest and recreation area has been completed at kilometre 94, serving traffic in both directions.

Meanwhile, construction activity continues on Sections 2 and 3 of the Hemus highway. These remaining stretches have a combined length of 36.28 kilometres and extend from the end of the Dermantsi road junction to the future connection with road II-35 between Pleven and Lovech.