2024-07-30 00:55:38
The extension of the western arc of the Sofia ring road to the gauges of a highway will begin with a small section from the beginning of the Struma highway to the roundabout on Zapadna Tangenta Boulevard.
to ensure connection with the future National children’s hospital
It will reach “President Lincoln” boulevard, crossing the buffer parking lot of “Mizia” metro station.
This is clear from a written answer to a parliamentary question by acting Regional Minister Violeta Koritarova. The decision was made in June by an interdepartmental working group, which includes representatives of API, Sofia Municipality and MRRD.
The route still exists only as a conceptual project and represents about a fifth of the entire distance of the future extended western arc, which should start from the “Boyana” residence and end at the beginning of “Struma”.
For the first section, most of the terrain is municipal property and represents inter-block spaces in “Ovcha Kupel” and has nothing to do with the current route of the ring road in this part. From the maps of the Metropolitan Municipality, it is clear that there are quite a few garages, parking lots and other objects that may be private.
The alienating ones procedures however have not started
because there is no detailed layout plan. Only when it is prepared, assessments will be made for the benefits, explains Koritarova.
Since the entire project is a site of national importance, private property owners will only have the right to appeal the amount of compensation, but not the expropriation itself. Complaints cannot stop the performance of the object.
The remaining part of the extension of the western arc is divided into two main subsections – from “Boyana” to “Tsar Boris Treti” Boulevard, which is about two kilometers, and from there to the beginning of the small section, which will be done at the earliest.
The extension from “Boyana” to “Tsar Boris Treti” boulevard is currently in the most advanced phase. In mid-June, an announcement of the Capital Municipality was published in the “State Gazette” that a detailed development plan and an amendment to the street regulation plan of the affected areas were ready. A few days ago, the one-month deadline for written objections, proposals and requests expired.
These two kilometers are the most complicated part of the future extension
On the one hand, it will affect the tram lines along “Tsar Boris Treti”, which according to the project will remain at ground level, and the various lanes of the ring road will pass below and above them. The extension will follow the current route of the ring road, and on both sides it is full of built-up areas – gas stations, low-rise buildings, garages, shops and warehouses.
The rest of the western arc has a detailed development plan approved by the Ministry of Land Development, but assessments are still being made for the terrain. Koritarova’s answer does not specify any deadlines, because all procedures are tied to interaction with other institutions.
With the extension of the western arc, when finally completed, Sofia will finally have a complete highway ring, through which 20-30% of the car traffic will be moved out of the capital.