The construction of the first new-age bicycle lane started in Sofia on September 1, but the official launch date will be September 8 when all documents will be signed, Sofstroy infrastructure department manager Mitko Berberov told The Sofia Echo on September 5.

The privatised, formerly municipal company Sofstroy started constructing the bicycle lane along Evlogi Georgiev Boulevard in Sofia by removing the old tiles and replacing them with new concrete blocks. The bicycle lane will be separated only by road marking from the walking area, Berberov said, in line with cyclists’ requests and the initial project.

The cyclists wanted no kerb stones to separate the bicycle lane from the pedestrian path, as this could be dangerous, Delyan Spasov from Bikevolution association told The Sofia Echo on September 5. Bikevolution, Sofstroy and Sofia municipality representatives had previously met to discuss what kind of road surface should be used for the new bicycle lane. It was not possible to use asphalt, as the machines would destroy the green area surrounding the new bicycle lane, constructors said. The project stipulated that the covering would be composed of concrete blocks measuring 2x2m and 2x3.2m.

According to the project, the bicycle lane has to be completed within three months. As previously reported by The Sofia Echo, it will be more than five km long and will run along both sides of the Perlovska River to the intersection of Evlogi Georgiev Boulevard with Gourko Street. From there, it will proceed only on the western side of the canal. The bicycle lane will be 2m wide in some areas and in other areas, where it’s combined with a pedestrian path, the width will be 3.2m.

The new bicycle lane is part of six bicycle routes planned by Sofia municipality to connect opposite ends of the city. According to the programme for management and development of Sofia municipality 2008-2011, the lanes will have to be built by the end of 2009. However, the bicycle lane parallel to Tsar Boris III Boulevard that was planned for re-construction in 2008 will be repaired in 2009 because the repair of the boulevard itself was also postponed to July or August 2009, Sofia deputy mayor in charge of transport Velizar Stoilov said.