Romanian Motorways Review - Q3 2020

130km.ro / 02 October 2020

Q3 was an excellent quarter for Romanian motorways. September saw the first openings in 2020: Biharia - Bors (5.35km) and Iernut - Chetani (17.90km), both on A3. A number of new contracts were signed in the past three months, for sections: Nadaselu - Mihaiesti and Mihaiesti - Zimbor (A3), Nusfalau - Suplacu de Barcau (A3), Slatina - Colonesti and Colonesti - Pitesti (DX12 express road), Oradea - A3 connection (A11) and Bucuresti Ringorad North Section 4 (A0). Finally, the tender for one of the most complex motorway projects in Romania was also launched, for section 3 of Sibiu - Pitesti.

A0 MOTORWAY (Bucharest South Ringroad)

Contractors selected and contracts signed for all three sections of the Southern part of this motorway and for section 4 of the Northern part (for the latter the contract was signed recently, in August 2020); estimated completion of works in 2023. Tenders in progress for the other three sections of the Northern part of A0, with contractors selected for two of them.

A1 MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Nadlac)

Bucharest - Pitesti: Entire length open to traffic.

Pitesti - Sibiu: works started on section 1, Sibiu - Boita; contract signed in 2020 for section 5, Curtea de Arges - Pitesti. Tender launched recently, in September 2020, for section 3 Cornetu - Tigveni, tender in progress but suspended for section 4 Tigveni - Curtea de Arges and tender under preparation for section 2 Boita - Cornetu. Estimated opening dates between 2023 and 2025.

Sibiu ringroad, Sibiu - Orastie and Orastie - Deva sections are open to trafic.

Deva - Lugoj is open on almost its entire length with the exception of 13.5km on section 2 which could be completed in a few years following a new tender process.

The other sections of A1, namely Lugoj - Timisoara, Timisoara - Arad and Arad - Nadlac, are all open to traffic. Thus, the only segment not available as a motorway between Sibiu and Nadlac consists of 13.5km between Cosevita and Margina (part of Lugoj - Deva section 2).

A3 MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Bors)

Bucharest - Ploiesti: full length open to traffic.

Ploiesti - Brasov: The only allocated contract is for section Rasnov - Cristian (6.30km, opening date: 2020), where works are progressing nicely.

Brasov - Targu Mures: This section was dropped from official plans with access to Transylvania replaced by A10 Sebes - Turda.

Targu Mures - Gilau: Section Campia Turzii - Gilau open to traffic, with the following segments open on section Campia Turzii - Targu Mures: segment 2 Targu Mures - Ogra (between Ungheni and Ogra), segment 1 Ogra - Campia Turzii (between Ogra and Iernut) and segment 2 Ogra - Campia Turzii (between Iernut and Chetani; opened recently, in September 2020). Works in progress for the other two segments of section Campia Turzii - Targu Mures, with opening dates estimated for 2020 and 2021.

Gilau - Bors: Section Gilau - Nadaselu opened. The following three sections are under construction: Nadaselu - Mihaiesti, Mihaiesti - Zimbor and Zimbor - Poarta Salajului, with opening dates in 2023 (for the first two contracts were signed recently, in September 2020). Tenders in progress for the next two sections, Poarta Salajului - Zalau and Zalau - Nusfalau. Next, section Nusfalau - Suplacu de Barcau is under constructio (opening date: 2022), section Suplacu de Barcau - Chiribis is being tendered, and section Chiribis - Biharia is under construction (opening date: 2022). Finally, section Biharia - Bors was open to traffic in September 2020.

A7 MOTORWAY (Bacau Ringroad)

Works progressing nicely for the Bacau Ringroad, part of which is included in the route of A7 Ploiesti - Pascani motorway. Estimated opening date: 2021.

A10 MOTORWAY (Sebes - Turda)

Segments 3 (Aiud - Decea, 12.45km) and 4 (Decea - Turda, 16.30km) open to traffic. Announced for opening in 2019, segments 1 and 2 are behind schedule and will possibly be opened in 2020 (this deadline may be delayed once again).

A11 MOTORWAY (ARAD - ORADEA)

Contract signed in August 2020 for connection between Oradea and A3 Motorway at Bors (estimated opening date: 2023).

DX12 EXPRESWAY (CRAIOVA - PITESTI)

Work in progress for all four sections of DX12 expressway Craiova - Pitesti, the first expressway under construction in Romania: Craiova - Robanesti and Robanesti - Slatina with estimated opening dates in 2021, and Slatina - Colonesti and Colonesti - Pitesti with estimated opening dates in 2023 (contracts signed recently for the latter two, in September 2020).

OTHER MOTORWAYS OPEN TO TRAFFIC

Motorways A2: Bucharest - Constanta and A4: Constanta Ringroad are open to traffic. Also, 11km between Balint and Lugoj ringroad are open on the proposed A6 Lugoj - Calafat motorway and 3.5km between Arad and DN7 are open on the proposed A11 Arad - Oradea motorway.

OTHER PROJECTS

Future Targu Mures - Iasi - Ungheni motorway: tender in progress for update of feasibility study for section Targu Mures - Targu Neamt. Update of feasibility study in progress for future motorways Sibiu - Fagaras, Brasov - Bacau and Timisoara - Moravita.

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