Trakiya motorway
Encyclopedia
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. It is planned to connect the capital of Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
with Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
on the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
through Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
and with Kalotina
Kalotina
Kalotina is a village in Dragoman municipality, Sofia Province, in westernmost central Bulgaria. As of 2010 it has 270 inhabitants and the mayor is Lidia Bozhilova. The village is located at the border with Serbia, 55 km to the northwest of the capital Sofia, on the main highway and railway...
on the Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n border. The motorway is named after the historical region of Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
, the northern (Bulgarian) part of which it runs through. The Trakia motorway's projected length is 368 km (or 443 km depending on whether certain segments are included), of which 280 km are currently in operation — linking Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
to Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora is the sixth largest city in Bulgaria, and a nationally important economic center. Located in Southern Bulgaria, it is the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province...
, as well as Karnobat
Karnobat
Karnobat is a town in the Burgas Province, Southeastern Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Karnobat Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 18,480 inhabitants.-Geography:...
to Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
.
Recently the minister of transport said that the motorway will run through the northern tangent of the future Sofia ring-road.
The construction and future concession of the motorway has been the subject of much controversy in 2005 and 2006, as a contract with a Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
company was renegotiated. However in 2007 a final arrangement has been made by the local government to fully complete the motorway by 2012.http://money.ibox.bg/news/id_1711851218
The Bulgarian Road Infrastructure agency has announced that the construction of the Yambol to Karnobat is scheduled to begin September 3, 2010 http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=119676.
A toll fee is to be collected from all vehicles, which is to be determined by the government. For the first year of operation it will be around 0.025 euro/km.
The Maritsa motorway
Maritsa motorway
The Maritsa motorway , is part of Pan-European corridor number 10, which connects Central Europe with Asia. The project links the town of Parvomay and Kapitan Andreevo at the Turkish border. Its projected length is 114 km of which 37 km are built, the planned opening date is May 2011...
designated A3, which will branch off from the A1 Tracian Highway from east of Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
just west of Chirpan
Chirpan
Chirpan is a town on the Tekirska River in Stara Zagora Province, South-central Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Chirpan Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 16,355 inhabitants....
and 5 km north of Parvomay it will run south east to Kapitan Andreevo border crossing.
Gallery
File:Magistrala-Trakia-pri-Vakarel.jpg|Trakia Motorway at Vakarel
Vakarel
Vakarel is a village, away from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.Population: 1984 people. It is situated in the Ihtiman part of Sredna Gora mountains. The village is important transport knot for the railway Sofia - Plovdiv. Near Vakarel is the Trakiya motorway. Vakarel is 822 meters above sea...
-Panagyurishte
Panagyurishte
Panagyurishte is a town in Pazardzhik Province, Southern Bulgaria, situated in a small valley in the Sredna Gora mountains. It is 91 km east of Sofia, 43 km north of Pazardzhik, and 37 km south of Zlatitsa. The town is the administrative centre of the homonymous Panagyurishte...
junction