Bulgarian Inter-Branch Organizations Oppose 15km Kresna Gorge Tunnel

Bulgarian inter-branch organisations have opposed the construction of the 15km tunnel through the Kresna Gorge as part of the Struma highway.

Representatives of organizations like the Bulgarian Construction Chamber and the Bulgarian Branch Chamber "Roads" presented their objections to the project at a press conference on Thursday, stating that the construction of Lot 3 of the Struma highway in its section Krupnik-Kresna was ill-conceived and unfeasible and would bring no economic benefits for the country.

The organizations presented a number of reasons for opposing the project and demanding its revision, according to reports of money.bg.

They emphasized that the Kresna Gorge was an area of high seismic risk and the construction of a tunnel of such length posed a huge risk.

They also pointed out that the highway stretch was located in an environmentally sensitive area and the noise, the traffic and the very construction works for the tunnel would be harmful.

The representatives of inter-branch organizations argued that the construction of such a tunnel required a load of around 40 000 vehicles per 24 hours while their analyses indicated that the traffic on the route Blagoevgrad – Kulata was not so intense.

They also drew attention to the fact that the maintenance of the tunnel would be very costly, with BGN 21 M to be spent on lighting only on an annual basis, and the entire maintenance amounting to over BGN 50 M. The construction alone would reach the staggering price tag of around BGN 1.5 B and would take 10 years.

The main request of the organizations is for a revision of the project for the construction of a 15km tunnel through the Kresna Gorge as part of the Struma highway...