The Vidin–Botevgrad expressway () is a partly existing, partly under construction and almost halfway planned expressway in Bulgaria, that will link the New Europe Bridge at the Danube border crossing to Romania near Vidin with the A2 Hemus motorway Sofia–Varna after completion. The expressway provides grade-separated dual carriageway with two lanes in each direction and it replaces or supersedes the existing I-1 road.
The route is part of the Pan-European Corridor IV. It is also part of the European route E79, that runs from Miskolc (Hungary) to Thessaloniki (Greece) and part of the proposed Via Carpatia route.
History In June 2014, tenders for construction of two sections between Botevgrad and Mezdra were announced. In September 2014, the Road Infrastructure Agency announced that construction of Vidin–Botevgrad expressway shall be financed by an EIB loan.
In the end of December 2015, the bypass of Montana was inaugurated, followed by the bypass of Vratsa, initially with only two lanes on one carriageway.
On April 13, 2023, 7.5 kilometers along the settlements of Novachene and Skravena in the section Lyutidol-Botevgrad were put into operation. On March 5, 2024 the section Makresh to Bela was opened. End of 2025, the section Mezdra-Lyutidol was set under traffic.
Sections of the expressway +SectionkmDestinationsNotes02.9New Europe Bridge - VidinIn service129.6Vidin - MakreshUnder construction2.113.6Makresh - BelaIn service2.211.1Bela - RuzhintsiUnder construction2.341.1Ruzhintsi - MontanaTender2.412.5Montana By-PassIn service3.128.7Montana - VratsaPlanned3.215.0Vratsa By-PassPlanned3.39.0Vratsa - MezdraIn service4.113.4Mezdra - LyutidolIn service4.219.3Lyutidol - BotevgradUnder construction5.7Botevgrad By-PassIn service
Junction list
Oblast (Province) Location Name km Destinations Status NotesVidinVidin New Europe Bridge 0.0 Craiova In service Northern terminus Novo selo 2.9 Vidin, Koshava In service Bregovo 6.1 Vidin, Bregovo Under Construction One carriageway operational Ruptsi 7.6 Under Construction One carriageway operational, the junction will be abandoned after the expansion. Novoseltsi 8.5 Vidin, Vrashka chuka Under Construction One carriageway operational Vidin 9.7 Vidin-Southern Industrial Area Under Construction Dunavtsi 20.1 Dunavtsi, Sinagovtsi Under ConstructionKula Kula 30.2 Kula, Sratsimirovo Under Construction Vidin 33.9 In service Temporary exit until opening of section to exit Kula Makresh Makresh 36.1 Makresh, Dimovo In service Dimovo Bela 46.4 Bela, Dimovo In service Ruzhintsi Ruzhintsi 58.6 Medovnitsa, Ruzhintsi Under Construction Montana Montana Belotintsi 73.1 Belotintsi Under Construction Vinishte 85.2 Smolyanovtsi, Vinishte Tender Montana 98.4 Dolna Verenitsa, Montana Tender Archar 103.0 Archar, Montana In service Emergency lanes planned Lom 104.6 Sofia, Lom In service Montana 108.6 Montana, Petrohan Pass In service Nikolovo Nikolovo Planned Krapchene 113.1 Krapchene, Dolni Dabnik Planned Sumer 119 Sumer Planned Vratsa Krivodol Kravoder 125 Kravoder, Glavatsi Planned Vratsa Vratsa 143 Vratsa Planned One carriageway operational Nephela 145 Nephela, Vratsa Planned Krivodol 147 Krivodol, Vratsa Planned Oryahovo 149 Oryahovo, Vratsa Planned Vratsa 158 Vratsa Planned Mezdra Ruska Bela 159 Ruska Bela In service Emergency lanes planned Moravitsa 161 Moravitsa In service Mezdra 165 Mezdra, Brestnitsa In service Durmantsi 167 Durmantsi In service Rebarkovo 170 Rebarkovo, Novi Iskar In service 176 (490 m) In service 176 (340 m) In service Lyutidol 177 Lyutidol In service Sofia Botevgrad Novachene 187 Novachene Under construction Partly operational Botevgrad 195 Skrawena, Botevgrad Under construction Novachene 199 Botevgrad, Trudovets, Pleven In service Hemus 202 Sofia, Varna In service Southern terminus
References Explanatory notes
Citations