Well connected nodes Giurgiu - Borovo to TEN-T transport network

The common challenge approached by the project is to improve the accessibility and mobility to the TEN-T network and thus to create suitable conditions for sustainable development in the border area. Cross-border approach is necessary for the development of the economic competitiveness of the regions targeted by this program and the tourism potential in the area, measures that would not be possible without improving the travel conditions between the citizens of the two countries. The project aims to improve and restore the transport performance of 2 sectors of county level road „DJ601: Bolintin Vale – Malu-Spart – national road DN61” in Romania and a network of 5 streets in the town of Borovo on a total length of 11,75 km. In Romania, the upgraded roads will connect tertiary node Bolintin-Vale town, through national level road DN61, to the secondary node Giurgiu, continuing via E85, core TEN-T road, through secondary node Ruse to tertiary node Borovo town. Therefore, the DJ601: Bolintin Vale – Malu-Spart – national road DN61, will be modernized to a length of 7,45 km in the following sectors: km 12+500 – km 13+000, km 21+000 – km 27+950. Bolintin-Vale is the 2nd largest town in Giurgiu County with a population of 12.929 inhabitants. Taking into account the fact that in the town of Bolintin-Vale is no railway transport, one of the most important access roads is the DJ601. The County Road crosses Malu-Spart, component of Bolintin-Vale, and crosses the city through the west to the north side. The road connects the city with the national road DN61, which further provides access for residents with Giurgiu city, county residence. The access of the inhabitants to Giurgiu city is very important, because, considering the low number of jobs in their city, an important part of the population travels daily to their work places with public transport, as well with personal vehicles. Thus, taking into account the other sectors of the DJ601, upgraded under another EU financing program, by modernizing these two sectors, the population of Bolintin-Vale will benefit by safe and modern transport conditions in accordance with the requirements imposed by European standards. Also, by these upgraded roads will also benefit the inhabitants of the eastern part of the Crevedia-Mare commune. The five streets of Borovo city, with an approximate total length of 4,30 km, are of major importance for the city as they connect the northern to the southern and south-eastern parts of the city and also connect directly with III-5101 and III-501 with the European TEN-T network - the first-class road I-5. Close to them are important landmarks, objects of social, health, education, and public and private services. The streets that are the subject of the investment link the southern and northern parts of the city to the central city district, Railway station, bus station, building of the municipal administration Borovo, post office, community centre Iskra, schools, banks and retail outlets. The first-class road I-5 / Rousse - Podkova / part of European transport corridor №9 pass through the Borovo. It enables fast transportation of passengers and freight to the nodes – Giurgiu, Rousse, Byala and Veliko Tarnovo. Borovo railway station is located on the 4th railway line / Rousse - G. Oriahovitsa - Podkova. In twenty-four hours, more than 15 fast international passengers’ trains cross over Ruse and Gorna Oryahovitsa. The town of Borovo is characterized as a tertiary node as it represents urban territory offering the city's population and the municipality good working environment, public Services, incl. education, health, social services, banking services, and at the same time is a city located in close proximity to the European TEN-T network. The city combines two types of transport - road and rail, which makes it a multimodal node. The railway line, in turn, leads to the port city of Rousse, located on European transport corridor № 7 and conducting river transport along the Danube, link to the Black Sea, the North Sea and Western Europe. W-TEN will contribute to a better connectivity between Bolintin-Vale and Borovo as tertiary nodes and other secondary nodes such as: Pleven, Veliko-Tarnovo, Vratsa, Ruse, Giurgiu located on core and comprehensive TEN-T networks generating a large frame for cross-border cooperation based on the axis which connect E85 and E70. The projects’ overall objective will be achieved through upgrading works that will help rebuild the road network in the Romanian-Bulgarian border area which will allow sustainable development of the area and its joining to the TEN-T transport networks, based on cooperation between Romanians and Bulgarians. The 11,75 km of roads that will be upgraded are part of the road network in the border area contribute with 29,33% of the total of 40,06 km that represents the target of present call. Another output indicator of the project is to develop a set of joint mechanisms, such as traffic safety measures on the rehabilitated roads and awareness-raising activities, both in Bulgaria and in Romania, which will be promoted through press conferences and events organized within the project. The joint mechanisms that will be implemented are constituted by: - 1 Joint traffic management system - the developing a joint traffic management system for smart mobility in the cross-border area Giurgiu-Borovo (co-ordinated traffic monitoring system with an application option to be used by travellers); - 1 Integrated information/awareness system for traffic safety measures; All these actions represent the original cross-border character of the present project. Therefore, this project contributes to this output indicator with 2 set of joint mechanisms, meaning 9,09% of the total of 22 mechanisms that represents the target of present call. The project indicative budget is 5.499.086,72 euro, 10,91% of the total of 50.389.343,26 euro that represents the objective of the present call. Rehabilitated roads will serve a total of 20.877 people, implicitly 3,33% of number of 626.140 people, the total Programme Target. The number of the population served by the modernized roads was calculated by gathering the inhabitants of the following localities: Bolintin-Vale town (12.929), Crevedia Mare commune (1.672) and Borovo town (6.276).

The implementation period of the project ended on 31.12.2023, but because of delays registered in the investment activity of LB, the project was included on the list of un-finalized projects. The new completion date of the project is 31.08.2024. B2 has finalized the modernization works for the rehabilitation of 4.32 km from the street network in Borovo. The LB signed the contract for design services and works execution for the investment objective „Modernization of DJ 601: Bolintin Vale – Malu Spart – DN61, km 13+685 – km 14+184 and km 22+263 – km 29+221, 7.45km”on 18.10.2022 with a design period of 30 days and a construction period of 12 months. The order to start the construction works was given on 25.05.2023, in order to begin the construction works on 29.05.2023. According to the information provided by LB, the construction works are ongoing and 7.416 km of modernized roads in Giurgiu were reported by LB, having in mind that the roadway was finalized and is open to traffic. On 27.11.2023, LB organized the Conference “New opportunities for traffic management and traffic safety measures in Giurgiu-Borovo” in Giurgiu. B2 had elaborated the study „New opportunities for traffic management and traffic safety measures in Giurgiu-Borovo area”. The study examined the state of transport infrastructure in the cross-border region, identified affected areas, made a SWOT analysis of the current situation, a risk analysis related to optimizing transport conditions in the cross-border region Borovo - Giurgiu, review of applicable regulations in Bulgaria and Romania defining the institutional responsibilities of the authorities regarding transport conditions and traffic safety by analyzing their role in the whole process. The interactive map and the smartphone application are available for free on Google play and App store under the name “Borovo Blackspots”. The map is available in Bulgarian, English and Romanian and it contains the locations of the black spots https://w-ten.info/?ait-items=blackspot-locations&lang=en. The application allows a user to report a new accident and it also promotes important touristic objectives, which can be visited by potential tourists coming to the area and it promotes the rules of traffic safety. B2 elaborated the Traffic Management Plan and acquisioned equipment on his behalf for the traffic monitoring system in order to realize a functional information system for traffic monitoring. In addition, LB purchased equipment for the traffic management system and put it onto operation on 23.11.2023. The Joint traffic management system developed by the project’s beneficiaries is functional and can be accessed at https://wtentraffic.eu/. On 24.11.2023, B2 organized the Conference “New opportunities for traffic management and traffic safety measures in Giurgiu-Borovo” and the Workshop „How to improve the traffic safety measures within the Giurgiu Borovo cross-border area?” in the town of Borovo. The closing press conference on behalf of B2 took place on 11.12.2023 on Borovo with 50 participants. B2 implemented also the traffic awareness activities and developed the promotional materials (leaflets, posters).

Achieving its basic and special objectives, W-TEN project will directly contribute to the implementation of the result indicator I6 - Cross border population served by modernized infrastructure leading to TEN-T. As tertiary nodes - Borovo and Bolintin Vale individual citizens are relevant for the Programme. The modern road infrastructure, created through this project, leads to: environment protection (fluent transport, low emissions), creating business opportunities by enhancing connectivity and accessibility and also facilitates social, cultural and cross-border contacts. All these are part of the EU policy of integration and creating a common and non-discriminatory area, governed by laws and rules made by all its members. The relevant indicator that will be achieved by implementing the measures provided by this project will lead to interactions between the populations in the cross-border area, in a manner equal to the requirements pursued by the European standards, in accordance with specific objective of this call, improve the planning, development and coordination of cross border transport systems for better connections to TEN-T transport network. The planning activities will be developed jointly by the two beneficiaries through studies aimed at improving and developing better and more sustainable routes for public transport in order to create a better connectivity between Giurgiu County and Borovo. Traffic safety conditions will benefit from significant improvements thanks to the traffic monitoring system through which relevant data will be transmitted by road users through modern technology. The on-going interaction that the target population of this project can have through the monitoring system will provide them important information in real time. So, cross border population will always benefit from the most important data to can have safe and comfortable journeys within the cross-border area via the road network to which they are directly connected up to the Core and Comprehensive TEN-T network roads. In order to make the most of the facilities that will be provided through the traffic safety measures that will be implemented on these roads, the two beneficiaries will organize sessions and conferences to ensure that the population will use these facilities with confidence and adequately for could take advantage of all the benefits offered by these measures.