On March 14, an agreement was
announced regarding the Slovenian H4 expressway, which is
undergoing urgent maintenance on the Razdrto-Vipava section.
Italy's Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani,
and Slovenia's Deputy Prime Minister, Matej Arčon, declared the
closure period significantly shortened during a meeting at the
Prefecture in Trieste.
The traffic shutdown will be reduced from the initially
estimated 18 months to 7 months, divided between 2025 (from
mid-August to November) and 2026 (from late July to late
November). Light traffic will be diverted to the regional roads,
while freight traffic heading toward the Vrtojba border crossing
will be redirected to the A1 highway towards the Fernetti
crossing.
"There will be inconveniences for logistics, customs
operators, and freight forwarders, as well as overall traffic,"
Ciriani stated.
"However, we will strive to minimize these issues through
cooperation between Italian and Slovenian law enforcement. I
believe the agreement reached is the best possible under the
circumstances and reinforces the growing friendship between our
two countries." He acknowledged that there would be an impact on
traffic in Gorizia, Fernetti, and Lisert, but it is
significantly reduced compared to initial forecasts. He
emphasized the importance of both parties recognizing each
other's concerns: Italy requested a reduction in the work
duration, and they appreciate the efforts made by Slovenia.
"This shortened closure results from the agreement between Dars
and operators, reflecting the cooperation between Italy and
Slovenia," Arčon noted.
The maintenance work along the H4 will include installing
windbreak barriers and resurfacing the roadway. During the first
phase, one lane will be closed for about 6 km toward Nova Gorica
from mid-March to mid-August. This will be followed by a full
closure lasting approximately 100 days.
"The installation of windbreak barriers," Arčon added, "will
improve accessibility on the expressway. Previously, it had to
remain closed for 30 days, but now this approach will enhance
freight traffic and reduce disruption at the Fernetti crossing."
Although the closure period has been reduced, Friuli Venezia
Giulia's Infrastructure Councillor, Cristina Amirante, stated,
"It will still affect businesses in our area, particularly those
in the logistics sector in the Isontino area. Therefore, the
Region is considering support measures similar to those
implemented by the state for rail transport under the so-called
Ferro Bonus. We aim to help our companies navigate this critical
time and prevent losses in clients and contracts due to the H4
roadworks."
Regarding managing heavy vehicle traffic, Amirante explained
that "in certain situations, an emergency measure will be
implemented to limit transit to 300 trucks per hour departing
from Fernetti" to avoid potential congestion on Italian routes.
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