The Project for Urban Development of Sofia aims at reducing the traffic in the capital
The Project for Urban Development of Sofia aims at reducing the traffic in the capital
By Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works
25 Aug 2011 | 17:06
The Project for Urban Development in the capital includes the purchase of fifty new air-conditioned low- profile, suitable for disabled persons trolleys, the repair of 20 key intersections, the building of new tram line “Seminary – Studentski Grad”. It also includes a rehabilitation of 3.5 km of tramline along “Bulgaria” boulevard, 20 smart traffic lights that will reduce traffic congestion.
The contract for an integrated public transport in Sofia includes all the activities mentioned above. The mayor Yordanka Fandakova and the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public works Lilyana Pavlova, in the presence of Minister Rosen Plevneliev, had signed the contract earlier today. The project is with a total value of 62 million euro, 50 million of which are grants under the Operational Programme "Regional Development".
The project for Integrated Urban Transport in the capital is an example of how Bulgaria, which until now has worked under the model piece by piece, is now able to integrate two or three different programs in a project that makes sense, specified Minister Plevneliev. He also noted that public transport will be equipped with GPS system and thus vehicles will be able to pass via priority sensors, equipped with 20 "smart" traffic lights. It is expected electronic boards to be installed in 600 stations in order to save time, the Minister stressed.
The next phase of the project has already been put into progress, which will bring even greater benefits and convenience for the citizens of Sofia. It envisions the implementation of intelligent systems at all major intersections, new trams, new bicycle lanes, intelligent network, tied to the main subway network, added Minister Plevneliev.
He noted that the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works wants to double the money invested in the public transport systems in seven major cities of the country during the next programming period. The Minister added that the reason they want to do so is that the ones, which have currently been provided under OPRD, are not sufficient.
Minister Plevneliev said that MRDPW has set the goal not only to negotiate 99% of the resources of the Operational Programme "Regional Development", but also to use them for similar projects in Sofia, Bоurgas, Varna and other cities in Bulgaria. In this way, they will be able to receive 420 million euro for the current programming period by the end of next year.
The contract for an integrated public transport in Sofia includes all the activities mentioned above. The mayor Yordanka Fandakova and the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public works Lilyana Pavlova, in the presence of Minister Rosen Plevneliev, had signed the contract earlier today. The project is with a total value of 62 million euro, 50 million of which are grants under the Operational Programme "Regional Development".
The project for Integrated Urban Transport in the capital is an example of how Bulgaria, which until now has worked under the model piece by piece, is now able to integrate two or three different programs in a project that makes sense, specified Minister Plevneliev. He also noted that public transport will be equipped with GPS system and thus vehicles will be able to pass via priority sensors, equipped with 20 "smart" traffic lights. It is expected electronic boards to be installed in 600 stations in order to save time, the Minister stressed.
The next phase of the project has already been put into progress, which will bring even greater benefits and convenience for the citizens of Sofia. It envisions the implementation of intelligent systems at all major intersections, new trams, new bicycle lanes, intelligent network, tied to the main subway network, added Minister Plevneliev.
He noted that the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works wants to double the money invested in the public transport systems in seven major cities of the country during the next programming period. The Minister added that the reason they want to do so is that the ones, which have currently been provided under OPRD, are not sufficient.
Minister Plevneliev said that MRDPW has set the goal not only to negotiate 99% of the resources of the Operational Programme "Regional Development", but also to use them for similar projects in Sofia, Bоurgas, Varna and other cities in Bulgaria. In this way, they will be able to receive 420 million euro for the current programming period by the end of next year.
