SOFIA RING WESTERN ARC CONSTRUCTION (FL20060411)

The Sofia Ring Western Arc Construction project comprises the reconstruction of an existing urban motorway and an important portion of the Sofia Ring Road. The project has a total length of 8.537 km and includes 5 road interchanges, 1 bridge over a river, 1 road overpass, 2 railway overpasses, 3 roundabouts, 2 motorway viaducts (multi-span bridges), retaining walls and reinforced embankments as well as the reconstruction and relocation of several affected utility networks. The project is in line with the Sofia Municipality Development Plan and will connect major motorways, already financed by the EIB: the Lyulin Motorway and the Northern Speed Tangent, ultimately connecting to the Sofia-Kalotnia and Hemus motorways. The project is located on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), co-financed by the EU Cohesion Fund, and is implemented by the Road Infrastructure Agency.

The new motorway will reduce congestion and traffic and improve urban mobility and safety. The project will increase traffic speeds and thus contribute to travel time and operating cost savings.

This project falls under Annex II of the Bulgarian Environmental Act as well as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU Article 10 e. In line with the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) Decision (No 34-PR/2010) dated 27/09/2010 there is no necessity to carry out an EIA. The nearest Natura 2000 protected sites are located some 7 km away from the proposed development. The competent authority concluded that the project is not likely to exert a negative impact on natural habitats, populations and habitats of species subject to conservation.

The project has been procured by the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) and contracts have been awarded through international open tenders in accordance with Directive 2004/18/EC.