Next year will see an investment of some 500 million leva, or 250 million euro, being made in second- and third-grade roads, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Rosen Plevneliev said here Wednesday. This investment will be 2.5 times more than the record investment of 200 million leva that was spent in 2007 in such roads, the Minister added.

He was speaking at a first-sod ceremony for a new round-about in the northern town of Byala.

After the Operational Programme Regional Development was stepped up, every second day next month will have first-sod ceremonies at second- and third-grade road projects, the Minister said. The first stage of the programme has 100 million leva for roads and another 400 million will be available for 2011.

Furthermore, the government is trying to balance the ongoing construction of the three motorways in Southern Bulgaria (Trakia, Maritsa and Lyulin) with more road construction in Northern Bulgaria.

An additional financial resource of 61 million leva will be added in 2011 to the 300-350 million leva package for road construction in Northern Bulgaria under the World Bank programme and Transit Roads 5. Under Operational Programme Regional Development, 300 to 350 million leva will be available for road projects next year, up from 50 million this year, said the Minister.

Source: BTA