Minister Pavlova: The new software of Road Infrastructure Agency is part of the measures to introduce innovations and improve road safety.

The new software of Road Infrastructure Agency, which will provide latest information about the traffic on the national road network at real time, is part of the measures to introduce innovations and improve the road safety, taken by both the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and Road Infrastructure Agency. That was stated by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Lilyana Pavlova, during the presentation of the electronic information system.

She explained that this software is developed within a project of Road Infrastructure Agency which is cofinanced by Operational Programme “Technical Assistance”. It would provide the latest information about the state of the roads, whether they are closed for rehabilitation or due to accidents as well as their condition during the winter season. The Minister said that the software is free and is also adapted for mobile phones, tablets, PCs and laptops.

We already have an interactive database and connectivity between MRDPW, Road Infrastructure Agency, the 28 district road administrations and citizens throughout the country, said Pavlova, adding that the system contains information about both the republican roads with a total length of 20 000 km and for another 20 000 km municipal road sections. In this way the database will provide information about 40 000 km roads, emphasized she. 

The system is 100% oriented to the citizens, stated the Minister. She announced that until now the Ministry has been warned by citizens about road infrastructure problems through phone calls, email, social networks and the Situation Center of RIA on tel. number 0700 130 20. We would rely on the support of all citizens, but we also appeal to them not to abuse the system, highlighted she.

Lilyana Pavlova said the most important feature of the software is that it could help for saving human lives. It is built in a way that when there is a overturn of a car it would transmit automatically a signal to the Situation Centre of RIA, which would be forwarded to emergency services 112, explained she. The Regional Minister stated that the next step in the development of the system would be to provide its connection to the Emergency as part of the health care reform.

Pavlova thanked the team that has developed the software and stated that the most significant merit of the application is that when there are traffic jams it will provide information about the time needed to pass and the alternative routes. This information is very important and people will be able to plan their travel, stressed she, adding that it is a modern tool through which drivers can be informed.

Dipl.Eng. Lazar Lazarov, head of the management board of Road Infrastructure Agency, also urged the consumers to minimize the false signals sent through the system and to be patient during the first weeks after the start of the system though the software is intuitive.

The application is already available for PC users as well as approved by Android and can be used by users of mobile devices with this operating system. Approval by Apple is also expected.