site.btaRoad Infrastructure Agency Restoring Bridge over Izgrevska River in Tsarevo Municipality

The Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) has taken urgent measures to secure and repair the bridge over the Izgrevska River on the road linking Tsarevo and Malko Tarnovo, which was damaged during the flooding of October 3. Access to the bridge has been restricted to ensure the safety of travelers, the agency said. 

Immediately after the waters receded, experts conducted an inspection and initial assessment of the damage. Work is currently underway on the design and construction of a temporary bypass road that will connect the villages of Kosti, Kondolovo, and Bulgari with the municipal centre of Tsarevo, the RIA said. Until then, traffic will pass along municipal roads as well as along the third-class road linking Bosna and Vizitsa. Traffic will be regulated by the Traffic Police.

The documentation for the design and construction, as well as the construction supervision for the construction of a new bridge structure at the site of the compromised one, is also being prepared. Given the urgency of the work on the bridge, the activities are being carried out under the Road Infrastructure Agency's emergency construction programme, which allows for an accelerated procedure for the start of construction and installation work on the bridge. All activities will be carried out as quickly as possible in order to restore normal traffic and access for residents of the affected area.

The existing bridge was built in 1960 in accordance with the standards applicable at the time of its construction. Its foundations were made of stone masonry without pile reinforcement, which is the main reason why the structure was compromised by the high water wave. No major repairs have been carried out on the structure to date. It was partially repaired in 2023 as part of ongoing work to improve its condition.