The Hemus motorway or Haemus motorway, designated A2, is a partially built motorway in Bulgaria. Its planned length is 418 km, of which 175 km are in operation. The motorway in operation is divided into two sections — the first one links the capital Sofia with Boaza near Yablanitsa, crossing Stara planina, and the second segment connects Varna and Belokopitivo near Shumen. According to the plans, Hemus motorway would connect Sofia with the third-largest city of Varna, at the BlackSea coast, duplicating European route E70, European route E772 and European route E83.
The Pravets–Yablanitsa section of the Hemus motorway was officially opened on 5 December 1999. Due to the mountainous terrain through the Stara Planina the section, 5.47 km in length with another 16 km reconstructed, features two viaducts and one tunnel, while the whole Sofia–Yablanitsa section has three more tunnels. The construction of the Pravets–Yablanitsa section began in the 1984 but ceased in the late 1980s due to lack of funds to be finished in 1998–1999.
2005
The 12.8 km section connecting Shumen with Kaspichan to the east was opened on 30 December 2005 and cost 77.6 million leva.
2013
In July 2013 a segment of the motorway at Shumen opened.
In August 2013 a 8.46 km segment, connecting the Sofia ring road and the Yana junction, opened to traffic.
2015
In August 2015, a 4.9 km segment, including the Belokopitovo interchange, was inaugurated.
2019
In October 2019, а 9.3 km segment, connecting Yablanitsa with the I-4 road near the Boaza ravine of Vit, was inaugurated.
Recent Developments
In January 2013National Company "Strategic Infrastructure Projects", a state-run company, tendered feasibility study for the remaining sections of Hemus motorway. In 2014 NCSIP signed contracts for drawing conceptual designs for all 8 lots of the motorway. In January 2015, a tender for design and build of 2 lots, between Yablanitsa and the Pleven/Lovech road, has been announced by NCSIP. In 2016 NCSIP was closed, with all activities being transferred to the Roads Agency. The tender for construction of the Yablanitsa - Pleven/Lovech road was cancelled due to lack of secured financing and later in 2016 a new tender for a shorter 9 km stretch between Yablanitsa and Boaza has been announced.
Exits
Miscellaneous
Bebresh Viaduct, regarded as the highest motorway bridge in the Balkans with a clearance of 120 m, is part of the Hemus motorway.
