With the improvement of the bilateral relations between Macedonia and Bulgaria, the Macedonian government is also actively working on improving the road connection between the two countries. The Public Enterprise for State Roads at the moment is reconstructing the road from Rankovce to Kriva Planka (21 km long). This section from Corridor 8 will be fully repaired by the end of the year, for which 2.6 million euros has been planned.
From PE state roads for “Meta.mk” they say that the next reconstruction is the section from Kumanovo to Rankovce, 31,8 kilometres long. The project documentation for this road is completed and it is expected that the tender will be announced this or next month.
– The project would start by the end of 2019 and would end during 2020- say from PE state roads.
Along with the reconstruction of the damaged parts of the road to Bulgaria, the state is investing in the construction of a new expressway between Rankovce and Kriva Palanka. The new road will be 23 km long and is planned to be completed by mid 2021.
In the following months, reconstruction and enlargement of the last section from Kriva Planka to the border crossing Deve Bair will start. The enlargement of the road with the third lane along the entire 13 km route, is to be completed in the second half of 2021. Funds for this construction project have already been provided through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Parallel work on four construction sites, should result in significant improvement of the road connection between Macedonia and Bulgaria by 2021. It is estimated that the complete repair of the current road and a construction of a new section, will decrease the time of travel between Skopje and Sofia, as well as increase the amount of traffic on the Corridor 8.
