by InTrieste
The upcoming closure for maintenance work on the Slovenian H4 highway, a key route toward Gorizia, is set to begin on August 18, with authorities implementing measures to ease the impact on cross-border traffic and regional logistics.
Cristina Amirante, the Regional Councillor for Infrastructure and Territory, announced the approval of a new agreement designed to grant free access to equipped parking areas near the Gorizia border crossing. These parking lots are intended to facilitate customs procedures and support the operations of SDAG Spa, an intermodal logistics platform spanning 650,000 square meters that serves international trade and road and rail transport primarily between Central and Eastern Europe.
The agreement aims to maintain the competitiveness of the Gorizia border crossing amid anticipated disruptions caused by the highway work, which is expected to last approximately 100 days, with the H4 reopening by late November 2025. A second closure phase, projected to begin in late July 2026, will last around 120 days.
During the closure, light vehicle traffic will continue to use the H4 highway as usual. However, heavy goods vehicles exceeding 3.5 tons traveling toward the Vrtojba/Sant’Andrea border will be rerouted onto the Slovenian A1 motorway. This diversion is expected to concentrate freight traffic at the Sezana/Fernetti border crossing near Trieste, increasing pressure on local infrastructure, customs offices, and alternative roadways. Authorities have expressed concerns about potential traffic congestion and negative economic effects on the Gorizia area and the broader regional economy.
To compensate SDAG for potential revenue losses during the closure, the region will cover the costs associated with providing free access to the parking facilities. Coordination with the Italian Customs Agency is also expected to enhance personnel availability for customs clearance operations, making the facility a more attractive option despite the temporary decline in transit volume.
Amirante noted that the region has actively engaged with public agencies, institutional authorities, and ministries in both Italy and Slovenia to manage the anticipated challenges. As a result of these efforts, the originally planned closure period of two years was significantly reduced to seven months spread over 2025 and 2026.
The issue has been a topic of discussion at the Northeast Logistics General Assembly, which includes representatives from the Italian Ministry of Transport and local logistics operators. A total of €250,000 has been allocated to cover the expenses associated with the agreement.
