Once opened to traffic, Zheleznitsa, Bulgaria’s largest tunnel, will be a big step toward improving the country’s infrastructure and making it easier to connect to Greece. The tunnel is part of the Struma highway (E79), which runs from Sofia to the Kulata checkpoint on the Greek border. It should be open to traffic in the next few days, cutting the time to go from Bulgarian city to the border with Greece.
Zheleznitsa tunnel is the last and most-anticipated part of the highway in question. There have been many delays in its building, but it should be open to traffic on February 20, according to Bulgarian media, starting a new era in the region’s road connections.
Green travel and a safe environment for drivers
It is the biggest road tunnel in Bulgaria, with two tubes, each 2 km long. It has all the systems it needs, like bright lights and ventilation, closed circuit television, an intelligent traffic management system, a fire alarm, an electronic entry control system, SOS emergency booths, and audio and radio alerts, among other things.
Durán Electronica has installed the DURTOX 4-20mA CO, and NO2 monitors to detect dangerous gases. For environmental control, Durán Electronica has also put opacimeters and anemometers.
The BTS control system by Schréder is in charge of all the tunnel lighting fixtures. It changes the amount of light based on the outside conditions (measured by L20 cameras) and offers a range of set lighting scenes, from full brightness to nighttime.
As nearby countries, Bulgaria and Greece, stand to gain a lot from improving their connections, this project aims to reduce journey times, make travel safer, and make trade between the two countries easier.
The opening of the Zheleznitsa tunnel will help the region’s economy grow and bring more tourists there. Improving the transportation system is a step toward bettering relations between the two countries and creating new jobs for people who work in tourism and leisure.