2024-09-24 14:45:32
A third bridge on the Danube River, which is known to be somewhere near Ruse, will be ready by 2032-2033, that is, after at least 8 years. This is the forecast of transport ministry experts after Romania announced on August 30 an order for a feasibility study. It must show where the bridge will land on its territory and how the connections with the road and rail infrastructure will be made. The term to choose the place on Romanian territory is 23 months.
So slowly and painfully, 21 years after the project was announced, the first real steps are being taken towards its implementation.
Exactly one year ago, the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport announced that Bulgaria and Romania had submitted a joint project to the European Commission for the feasibility study of the second Ruse-Gyurghevo bridge, and in January of this year, Brussels approved 7 million euros in funding for its feasibility study on military mobility of The Connecting Europe Facility. The documents were submitted by the Romanian side and it is the coordinator of the investment.
It is Bulgaria noted 3 places
for the bridge, from which to choose, but it is necessary to wait for the study for Romania. It is assumed that the point to be chosen is near the town of Marten, east of Rousse.
According to Martin Georgiev – head of the Directorate “Coordination of Programs and Projects” and head of the governing body of the operational program “Transport Connectivity”, the Romanians will explore three road and two rail options. The Bulgarian side has said that
no others opportunities except combined bridge – road and railway, I won’t be accepted
Brussels also insists on this.
For the road infrastructure in Romania, there is no problem for the bridge to connect with the four-lane road from Giurgiu to Bucharest. However, with the railway connection, it is a bit more difficult, because the line has to go around Gyurghevo. For the Romanians, the station is close to the current Danube bridge, for the new one they have to make a detour to reach the new crossing point of the river.
We have already selected a contractor for the Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo highway for the lot from Ruse to Byala. But it can start to be built from the old capital city and by the time it reaches the Danube, it will be clear exactly where the bridge will be. When the route reaches Ruse and it is found that 5 km are missing, it can be corrected, and not when you have reached the river, to move the route, we will try to avoid this situation, says Georgiev.
With the railway infrastructure, it is easier with us, because the train can pass through the station in Ruse and head to the bridge. The railway line to the new bridge is drawn from the existing network through meadows and in the industrial part of the city and does not pass through residential areas. Experts see potential for freight rail transport along the Ruse – Kaspichan railway line and to continue along Sindel – Karnobat to southern Bulgaria. However, they make the clarification – if it is maintained in good condition. This route
can take cargo traffic from south
Stara Planina has yet to be tunnelled, and it is a slow and very expensive option. Although it is high time to connect North and South Bulgaria through Stara Planina, but that is another topic.
The choice of where to put the bridge depends on the desire of both sides to make it and the accompanying infrastructure cost as little as possible, because this will affect tolls. The strong lobby of carriers in both countries wants highway parameters but also low fees.
For me, the price is not just the bridge, but the infrastructure that brings it. Before some candidates came, they said, we will build a bridge, but you build the highway, and it could cost 50 million euros, and the autobahn – 250 million, commented Georgiev.
In order to speed up the process, the Bulgarian side has created working groups of the best road and rail transport experts to assist the Romanians in choosing the point where the new bridge will be located on their shore, as well as connecting it to the road and the railway infrastructure.
If after 23 months, which is the deadline for the company that has been selected, to propose where the bridge should be located in Bulgaria, there is already an approved option, the next steps come. The Ministry will announce a procedure for the selection of a consultant to develop the supply infrastructure and a year later he will be selected. Then it will be clear how much it will cost.
“Until the end of October is the deadline for offers, if they manage to choose a contractor by the New Year, we are ready to commission the development next year, to choose a consultant who will design the complex with the brought infrastructure and start to shape something”, says Georgiev.
The construction itself, according to the Bulgarian experts, can last 2-3 years, although the construction of the bridge at Vidin-Kalafat dragged on for 7 years and the European funding was almost lost.
The Bulgarian side has suggested that once the location and basic parameters of the bridge are chosen,
the procedures for designing and construction must be announce jointly
to have a common pricing policy, as is the case with Vidin. However, there was time for these steps. The question is to see how much the investment will be and what will be the share of each of the parties. For now, the funding of the feasibility study is under the Connecting Europe Facility.
The first ones were built by Romans in 2-3 years
The construction of the Danube bridges in Roman times, as well as the construction of the first one in our modern history at Ruse-Giurgevo, lasted between 2 and 3 years.
Trajan’s Bridge was built between 103-105. Remains of it are preserved in the museum in Turnu Severin. Its length was 1135 m, it rested on 8 pillars.
The Constantine bridge connected Ulpia Eskus – near today’s village of Gigen in Bulgaria, with Sukidava near the town of Corabia in Romania. The bridge has a wooden superstructure and masonry stone pillars, its length is 2434 m. It was built in 323-328 and was opened by Emperor Constantine. It is believed to have existed for about 40 years – until 367. There is information that Emperor Valens transferred his troops across the Danube on a pontoon bridge further down the river.
The Danube bridge near Ruse was built during the time of socialism in Bulgaria for two years and three months – from the beginning of 1952 to March 1954, its construction was kept secret.
Experts write that there have been at least 9 structures on the river over the centuries. In addition to the already listed bridges, there were: Transmariska – Constantiana Daphna (367), at Noviodunum (369), Vidin – Kalafat (1606), Cherna Voda – Feteşt (1895). (24 cups)