site.btaHeavy Snowfall Closes Mountain Passes, Causes Traffic Restrictions on Saturday

The astronomical winter began on Saturday with heavy snowfall and rainshowers across Bulgaria, causing traffic restrictions and closing mountain passes. A code yellow was issued for 22 regions in the country by the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology.

The Troyan Pass is closed to all motor vehicles as of 6 pm on Saturday because of snowfall, BTA learned from the head of the Regional Road Directorate in Lovech, Engineer Georgi Genov. Earlier in the day, only heavy duty trucks weighing over 12 tonnes were not allowed through the pass.

The Shipka Pass is open despite the heavy snowfall, the Regional Road Department in Stara Zagora told BTA. Four snow-clearing machines are working on the spot, and the road surfaces  have been treated. 

The Pass of the Republic was completely closed to traffic on Saturday morning but was later opened. Trucks are allowed only if equipped with chains.

Heavy duty trucks are temporarily restricted from driving  through the Rozhen and Prevala passes, the Road Infrastructure Agency said. The same restriction applies to the Petrohan Pass in the Balkan Range, the Regional Road Department in Montana told BTA. 

On the Trakia and Maritsa motorways in Southern Bulgaria, the road surfaces are wet from the rainfall but traffic is normal.