The twenty-seven regional road administrations in the country have developed the plans for winter maintenance of the republican roads for Winter 2024/2025. They have been submitted to the central administration of the Road Infrastructure Agency for review and after their approval will be provided to the road maintenance companies for preparation of the specific operational plans by region, which will include the corresponding number of snow plows, raw materials – salt, sand, lye, calcium dichloride, etc., the road agency announced.
At the direction of the Management Board of the API, the road administrations have analyzed the workload of the sections, so that the level of maintenance and the time for reaction and cleaning of the route in case of snowfall is consistent with the intensity of the traffic on it. The priority is the motorways, the busiest routes on the first-class and second-class road network and the passages providing the connections between Northern and Southern Bulgaria.
It is expected that in the period 1-15 November, depending on the weather conditions, the winter maintenance of the republican road network will be introduced throughout the country. If forecasters predict a permanent decrease in temperatures, it is possible that winter maintenance in high mountain areas and passes, where temperatures are lower and there are prerequisites for slipperiness and icing especially early in the morning, will be introduced earlier. The goal is for preventive and then snow removal activities to begin as quickly as possible when the weather is forecast to deteriorate, in order to ensure the passability of the roads. According to estimated data, about BGN 100 million is provided in the budget of the API for the winter maintenance of about 20,000 km of national roads – from November to April.
The Road Infrastructure Agency appeals to drivers to start preparing their cars for driving during the winter months, not to wait for the first subzero temperatures, and to monitor the good technical condition of the vehicle. The blocking of traffic by vehicles that are not prepared in time for winter conditions makes it difficult for all other drivers to travel and the work of snow removal equipment.
As every year, there will be regional winter preparedness meetings in November, in which representatives of the various institutions will participate – Traffic Police, DG “Fire Safety and Protection of the Population”, IA “Automotive Administration” and others.
The acting Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Violeta Koritarova, announced in the first half of September that out of 33 separate positions, there are 26 signed contracts with contractors for ongoing repair and maintenance of the republic’s roads. For the other positions, there are court cases on which decisions are expected so that the contracts can be concluded, the minister pointed out at the time.
Republican roads are already in winter maintenance mode, the road agency announced on November 2 last year.