Romanian Motorways Review in Q1 2018
30 March 2018. (c) 130km.ro.
The first quarter of 2018 did not bring any noteworthy news on Romanian motorways. No motorway segments were opened in the first three months of the year, despite optimistic plans announced in 2017. Find below the status of motorways opened to traffic or under construction in Romania.
I. A1 MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Nadlac)
Bucharest - Pitesti: Entire length opened to traffic. Pitesti - Sibiu: Tenders in progress for sections 1 and 5 (Sibiu - Boita and Pitesti - Curtea de Arges), with tender being prepared for secton 4 (Tigveni - Curtea de Arges). Financing for this section and the documentation required to plan and build it are two issues that need to be solved. The estimated opening date is 2022-2033. Sibiu ringroad is opened to traffic (17.2km). Sections Sibiu - Orastie and Orastie - Deva are open to trafic.
As for Deva - Lugoj, segment 1 (Traian Vuia - Sanovita) and 15km of segment 2 (Margina - Traian Vuia) are open to traffic. Contract was canceled for the reamining stretch of segment, which means a new tender is required; as no plans have been announced for this tender, the earliest opening date is 2021-2022. Progress on section 3 is 80%; this section could have been opened in 2018, but the contractor and CNAIR have some disagreements that will probably push the opening date in 2019.
Works are progressing on section 4, which could be opened this year. Sections Lugoj - Timisoara, Timisoara - Arad and Arad - Nadlac are all open to traffic.
II. A3 MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Bors)
Bucharest - Ploiesti: 55.5km of this section are open to traffic. The remaining 6.5km were scheduled to be opened by the end of 2017 but this deadline was moved to 2018. Ploiesti - Brasov: winner announced for tender on Rasnov-Cristian, a 6.3km stretch on Comarnic-Brasov, but works have not started yet due to formalities that need to be completed. No significant developments on this route and no news on Ploiesti - Comarnic.
Brasov - Targu Mures: This section was dropped from official plans, with access to Transylvania replaced by A10 Sebes - Turda, currently under construction. Targu Mures - Gilau: 52km on this section are open to traffic, while contracts are in place for the remaining 56.5 km; some sections could be opened in 2018, with the rest scheduled for 2019, but no definite opening schedule is available yet.
Gilau - Bors: Works completed on Gilau - Nadaselu (9km), but opening is not possible due to lack of access bridge, currently under construction (opening date in first half of 2018). Contract for section Nadaselu - Mihaiesti was canceled in 2017. New tenders for the three sections of segment Suplacu de Barcau - Bors launched at the beginning of 2018.
III. A10 MOTORWAY (Sebes - Turda)
Works mostly completed on sections 3 (Aiud - Decea) and 4 (Decea - Turda), with estimated opening date in May 2018. Opening is delayed to due administrative procedures and some additional works or repairs required. Some issues on section 2 due to inslovency of one of the contractors. Sections 1 (Sebes - Paraul Iovului) and 2 (Paraul Iovului - Aiud) are estimated to be opened to traffic in 2019.
IV. OTHER PROJECTS
Motorways A2: Bucharest - Constanta and A4: Constanta Ringroad are completed with entire length open to traffic. Additionally, 11km between Balint and Lugoj ringroad are opened on the proposed A6 Lugoj - Calafat motorway and 3.5km between Arad and DN7 are opened on the proposed A11 Arad - Oradea motorway.
A new tender for Bacau ringroad motorway was launched at the beginning of 2018, with tender procedures in progress. For the Southern part of the new Bucharest Ringroad motorway the tender is still in progress.
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