Traffic Paralyzed in Both Directions at Topli Dol Tunnel on Hemus Motorway
Severe gridlock paralyzed traffic on the Hemus Motorway in Bulgaria for more than six hours, trapping drivers in bumper-to-bumper queues stretching up to 35 kilometers. The backup stemmed from ongoing construction inside the Topli Dol Tunnel, where all traffic was compressed into a single tube for two-way travel, focus-news.net reported. What the Bulgarian Road Infrastructure Agency (API) predicted as heavy Friday afternoon congestion materialized into multi-hour delays affecting tens of thousands of motorists traveling between Sofia and Varna.
Capacity Deficit and Flow Reductions at Topli Dol Tunnel
The bottlenecks occurred because the construction zone’s physical capacity fell drastically short of actual vehicle volume. API forecasts anticipated roughly 2,600 vehicles per hour heading toward Botevgrad between 15:00 and 20:00, while the single operational tunnel tube could handle only about 1,200 vehicles per hour per lane, according to data from balkanec.bg. At 22:00, National Toll Directorate figures cited by bTV News showed average speeds inside the Topli Dol Tunnel dropped to 27 kilometers per hour. Motorists reported crawling 35 kilometers in nearly three hours, while API transit time checks showed the 25-kilometer stretch between Razliv and Churek jumped from a pre-construction 16 minutes to as high as 43 minutes, Botevgrad.com noted.
Diverted Cars and Unregulated Heavy Freight on Hemus Motorway
Traffic management failures drew sharp criticism from stranded motorists facing a lack of timely intervention for heavy trucks. Drivers posting on social media complained that while passenger cars traveling from Sofia toward Varna were diverted onto the Sub-Balkan road, heavy freight carriers were still permitted onto the Hemus Motorway, focus-news.net reported. API designated alternative routes for passenger vehicles through the Iskar Gorge or the Petrohan Pass, but noted there are no suitable local bypass routes in the immediate vicinity of the Topli Dol Tunnel, balkanec.bg stated. The rehabilitation of the tunnel—built in 1985 with a Varna-bound tube length of 883 meters and a Sofia-bound tube of 878 meters—began in November 2023, with current restrictions scheduled to persist until major structural work finishes in April 2027, according to Botevgrad.com.
Holiday Relief Schedule and April 2027 Construction Timeline
Relief for holiday travelers is slated to begin around December 18, when API plans to temporarily restore two-way traffic through both tubes of the Topli Dol Tunnel for Christmas and New Year, bTV News reported. However, that opening will be short-lived; API data indicates restrictions will return around January 11 to complete interior work, including reinforcement, hydroiosolation, ventilation, and fire safety systems, Botevgrad.com explained. Until final completion in April 2027, weekend surges will continue to test the temporary traffic organization, with API projecting a return wave toward Sofia of approximately 2,100 vehicles per hour, requiring drivers to observe the strict 50 kilometers per hour speed limit inside the active work zone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hemus Motorway Delays
Why is traffic restricted to a single tube at Topli Dol Tunnel?
API is executing an extensive rehabilitation project on the Sofia-bound tube that requires routing all traffic in both directions through the Varna-bound tube at a maximum speed of 50 kilometers per hour, according to bTV News. The tunnel has not undergone a major overhaul since its opening in 1985, Botevgrad.com confirmed.
What alternative routes are available for drivers bypassing the bottleneck?
API recommends passenger vehicle drivers use the road through the Iskar Gorge or the Petrohan Pass, as there are no direct local bypasses around the Topli Dol construction zone, balkanec.bg reported.
When will normal two-way traffic resume permanently on this section of Hemus Motorway?
API schedules the complete conclusion of construction and permanent normalization of traffic for April 2027, though temporary two-way passage through both tubes will be permitted during the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays starting around December 18, Botevgrad.com stated.