The Giunta della Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia (regional executive of Friuli Venezia Giulia) has approved the draft agreement with Sdag confirming free parking in 2026 at the three equipped parking areas of the Gorizia interport for hauliers affected by the closure of Slovenia’s H4 expressway. The decision, announced on 12 July 2026 in an official statement by the Regione, continues the scheme already adopted in 2025 and provides Sdag with a regional contribution of up to €300,000 to cover the cost of the service for the full duration of the closure.
The three designated areas provide a total of 465 spaces across more than 82,000 square metres. The service includes assistance, security and support for customs operations for industrial vehicles which, because of the closure, can no longer use their usual route towards Slovenia. The agreement implements Regional Law 12/2025, which introduced specific measures to ease the impact of cross-border worksites on the region’s road network and logistics system. Cristina Amirante, regional councillor for Infrastructure and Territory, said the main aim of the renewal was to reduce the impact of the closure on the regional logistics system and provide practical support for hauliers.
The works concern the Vipava-Razdrto-Ajdovščina-Vrtojba section of the H4, one of the main links between Ljubljana and the Nova Gorica-Gorizia area. Dars, the operator of Slovenia’s motorway network, and the Ministry of Infrastructure have planned the project in two phases, to be completed by the end of 2026, covering extraordinary maintenance on the section and the installation of windbreak barriers in an area exposed to strong gusts. The current phase began between 5 and 6 July and is expected to last about 132 days, until mid or late November.
A ban remains in force on the Slovenian section for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, both on the H4 and on the parallel state road. Industrial vehicles arriving from Italy must divert towards the Fernetti crossing, with checks by Slovenian police at the Šempeter pri Gorici junctions for those still attempting to reach Vrtojba. The diversion is placing significant traffic flows on the A4 between Lisert and Villesse and on the Lisert-Trieste-Palmanova corridor: the 2025 closure had generated up to 4,000 additional industrial vehicles a day on the same route.
Supporting measures include contactless payment at toll booths, the use of escort vehicles coordinated with the traffic police at the most critical points and, in the event of prolonged queues, the diversion of light vehicles onto the A34 between Villesse and Gorizia. The most recent precedent dates back to 2025, when the closure of the Razdrto-Vipava section for about 100 days led the Regione to allocate €550,000 for free parking and toll concessions. The 2026 renewal follows the same framework, with funding and duration adjusted to the timetable of the new worksite.
