By Nedyalka Aleksandrova
In the last decade Varna has developed and expanded extensively. At present it is the 80th largest city in Europe, Bulgaria’s second-largest metropolis and the biggest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
The impetuous development of Varna raised the need of a new general city plan as to the west it has reached its maximum of territorial enlargement. The lake of Varna will have a leading role in the process, the authors of the new GCP say. It will become an element for another city enlargement as a tourist agglomeration. The principal aim is to avoid here the tendency of urbanization of the entire coast. The GCPlan safeguards the so called ‘natural breaks’. In practice, they will guarantee that apart from being a European harbour and a logistic centre, Varna will remain a holiday centre of a European scale, as it has been in the last decade. The Black Sea highway will become the axis of the economic development in the region.
Since mid-July intensive construction and repair works are under way on the territory of Varna. This is the first stage of the implementation of the new GCP of Varna. Numerous improvements are being made in the existing road and city infrastructure.
To facilitate the ever growing city traffic, most of the principal thoroughfares of Varna are being enlarged and some new streets are under construction.
Brand new, spacious sidewalks are set along the widened existing streets.
Public lightening, sewage, water and electrical installations are renewed in various parts of the city related to the first stage of the implementation of the GCP.
Since July 21, 2009 the lakeside road ‘Devnya’ is under large scale repairs and reconstruction. It is one of the city’s principal thoroughfares taking a great part of the stream of vehicles traveling to Bourgas.
The reconstruction works on the lakeside road ‘Devnya’ are a part of the first stage of the implementation of the GCP of Varna.
The road is being enlarged, a new asphalt cover is put, a completely new sewage, water and electrical underground installations are set, some brand new sidewalks are laid.
The road is a major connecting factor for the traffic which is expected to increase with the construction of the new marina. A new round about has been completed.
It has the purpose of regulating the traffic which is expected to grow as a result of the implementation of the new GCP. The cargo sea terminal will be replaced by a new, modern sea marina with various attractions and facilities. Lots of vehicles transit this part of the city as the Central City Railway Station, the Passenger’s and the Cargo Sea Terminals, bank offices and headquarters of local and international companies are located there.
The lakeside road ‘Devnya” is also an important junction for the traffic coming from the Hemus Highway to the road to Bourgas, which will become a part of the Black Sea Highway.
The project, amounting to USD 1 B, is to build a highway around the entire coastal line of the Black Sea. It will be 7,140 kilometers long and will pass through 12 countries. It will connect Turkey, Georgia, Russia, the Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. The highway will have at least four lanes while construction works will include the expansion and connection of already existing roads.