site.btaMap Showing Road Surfaces Condition, Based on Objective Measurements Has Been Developed, Road Infrastructure Agency Says

A map detailing the condition of road surfaces has been developed, based on objective measurements rather than subjective assessments, the Chairman of the Management Board of the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA), Todor Anastassov said at a press conference held by caretaker Regional Development and Public Works Minister Nikolay Naydenov, on Monday.

The main criterion used to assess the condition of the national road network is the evenness of the road surface, Anastassov said. This indicator was chosen because equipment can easily measure road surface roughness, which provides a good overall picture of the road’s condition. The measurement has a five-point scale, from "poor" to "excellent".

Based on measurements taken on over 16,000 km of roads and all motorways, statistics show that roads in the regions of Blagoevgrad, Silistra, and Pazardzhik are in the best overall condition, while those in the regions of Burgas, Montana, and Vidin are in the worst condition.

The measurements were taken using specialized software and equipment from the Road and Bridges Institute. According to RIA, the map can serve as a basis for planning next year’s road maintenance budget.

Regarding the repair works in the section between Kostenets, Dolna Banya, and Samokov, part of the Giro d’Italia route, Minister Naydenov said that sanctions would be imposed on the contractor, and RIA reported that equipment had already been dispatched to remove the road marking defects and apply new ones. Naydenov added that pothole patches and missing road markings are also frequently observed along the Giro d'Italia routes in other countries, which does not prevent the race from taking place.