In brief
The Road Infrastructure Agency has imposed temporary traffic restrictions on heavy goods vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes on the Hemus Motorway for November 13, 15 and 16 due to extensive repairs to the Topli Dol Tunnel. Truck traffic will resume around December 18, with further partial restrictions from January 11 until the project’s completion in April 2027.
Heavy goods vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes are barred from a 47‑kilometre stretch of the Hemus Motorway between the Sofia exit and the Botevgrad road junction on November 13, 15 and 16 as part of major repairs to the Topli Dol Tunnel, the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) said in a statement released by BTA news agency.
On Friday, November 13, trucks heading away from Sofia must stop using the motorway between 3 pm and 9 pm. On Sunday, November 15, the restriction applies to heavy goods vehicles travelling toward the capital between 2 pm and 9 pm; on Monday, November 16, both‑direction truck traffic is suspended from 7 am to 9 am.
During the restrictions, weather permitting, trucks bound for Vratsa, Montana and Vidin will be allowed to use alternative routes via the Petrohan Mountain Pass and along the second‑class road II‑16, which connects Sofia, Svoge and Rebrovo. Heavy vehicles heading toward Sofia on Sunday will have access to the same routes. If traffic volumes drop, traffic police may begin allowing trucks through before the scheduled end of the restrictions. The RIA said it may also introduce additional safety measures depending on the traffic assessment.
The traffic on both tubes of the Topli Dol Tunnel is expected to restore around December 18, ahead of the Christmas and New Year period. After the holiday, around January 11, 2027, traffic through the tube leading toward Sofia will again be restricted until the construction works finish. The projected deadline for completion of the repairs is April 2027.
Separately, from Friday until November 17 the traffic arrangement will be temporarily changed along a two‑kilometre section of the Trakia Motorway in the Sofia Region to allow partial road‑surface repairs.
