Romanian Motorways 2020 Review
(c) 130km.ro / 29 December 2020
In 2020 five motorway sections opened in Romania with a total length of 60.6km, bringing the total length of the Romanian motorway network to 910.9km. In September 2020 two sections were opened: Biharia - Bors (5.4km) and Iernut - Chetani (17.9km) on A3. The other three sections were opened in December: a part of the Bacau Ringorad, itself part of the future A7 motorway (16.3km), a part of section 1 of A10 Sebes - Turda motorway (Sebes - Paraul Iovului, 14.8km) and section Rasnov - Cristian on A3 (6.3km).
The map of motorways and motorway projects in Romania at the end of 2020 is presented below (click for the larger version): :
The length of motorway sections opened in Romania in 2020 is the fourth largest yearly value in the last ten years, and the largest value in the last seven:
The status and the most important news in 2020 for each Romanian motorway are listed below.
A0 MOTORWAY (Bucharest Ringroad)
Contractors selected and contracts signed for all three sections of the Southern part of the motorway, with a total lenth of 50.8km and opening dates in 2023. For the Northern part of the motorway there is a contract signed for section 4 (4.5km, opening date in 2023), while for the other three sections contracts signing is in progress, with the procedure for some of theem being contested (total length of 45.1km, opening dates in 2024).
A1 MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Nadlac)
On A1 section Bucharest - Pitesti is opened to traffic (109.6km). On the next section, Pitesti - Sibiu, there are contracts signed and works in progress for segment 1 Sibiu - Boita (14.2km, opening date in 2023) and segment 5 Curtea de Arges - Pitesti (30.4km, opening date in 2025). After the tender for section 2 Boita - Cornetu was launched in December 2020, currently there are tenders in progress for all three remaining segments of this section (Boita - Cornetu - Tigveni - Curtea de Arges, total length of 79.5km; a new segment 6 Tigveni - Ramnicu Valcea, of 23km, could be added in the future).
Sibiu ringorad (17.6km) is opened to traffic, as are the following sections, Sibiu - Orastie (82.2km) and Orastie - Deva (32.5km). The following section, Lugoj - Deva, is opened with the exception of 13.2km on segment 2 (Cosevita - Margina), which could be opened in a few years after a new tender process (length of Lugoj - Deva segment which is open: 86.3km).
The other sections on A1, Lugoj - Timisoara (35.1km), Timisoara - Arad and Arad ringorad (41.0km) and Arad - Nadlac (38.9km) are also open to traffic. Thus, the only missing link on the entire Sibiu - Nadlac route is the 13.2km stretch between Cosevita and Margina (parte of Lugoj - Deva segment 2).
A2 SUN MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Constanta)
Open to traffic (202.8km).
A3 TRANSYLVANIA MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Bors)
First section, Bucharest - Ploiesti (65.2km), is open to traffic. On the following section, Ploiesti - Brasov, the route Rasnov - Cristian (6.3km) was opened in December 2020; there are no other routes opened or under construction on this section.
Section Brasov - Targu Mures is dropped from official plans and was replaced with the A10 Sebes - Turda motorway. The status of segments on the next section, Targu Mures - Gilau, is as follows: Targu Mures - Ungheni (4.5km) under construction with opening date in 2021; Ungheni - Ogra (10.1km) open; Ogra - Iernut (3.6km) open; Iernut - Chetani (17.9km) open in September 2020; Chetani - Campia Turzii (15.7km) under construction with opening date in 2021; Campia Turzii - Gilau (51.7km) open.
On the last section, Gilau - Bors, status is as follow: Gilau - Nadaselu (9.5km) open; Nadaselu - Mihaiesti (16.8km) under construction with opening date in 2023; Mihaiesti - Zimbor (13.3km) under construction, opening date in 2023; Zimbor - Poarta Salajului (13.3km) under construction, opening date in 2023; Poarta Salajului - Zalau (15.14km) and Zalau - Nusfalau (25.84km) being tendered, tender procedures launched in October 2020; Nusfalau - Suplacu de Barcau (13.6km) under construction, opening date in 2022; Suplacu de Barcau - Chiribis (26.4km) being tendered, tender launched in December 2020; Chiribis - Biharia (28.9km) under construction, opening date in 2022; Biharia - Bors (5.4km) opened in September 2020.
A4 MOTORWAY (Constanta Ringroad)
Open to traffic (21.8km).
A6 SOUTH MOTORWAY (Lugoj - Calafat)
The only section open to traffic is Balint - Lugoj ringroad (10.5km); no plans in place for additional routes on this motorway.
A7 MOTORWAY (Ploiesti - Pascani)
A part of Bacau ringroad (16.3km) was opened to traffic in December 2020. The remaining sections are currently being planned.
A10 MOTORWAY (Sebes - Turda)
Sections opened to traffic on A10 are segment 3 (Aiud - Decea, 12.5km), segment 4 (Decea - Turda, 16.3km) and a part of segment 1 (Sebes - Paraul Iovului, 14,8km open), the latter opened in December 2020. The remaining part of segment 1 (2.2km) and segment 2 (Paraul Iovului - Aiud, 24.3km) are scheduled for opening in 2021.
A11 MOTORWAY (ARAD - ORADEA)
On A11 a contract was signed in August 2020 for the connection between Oradea and A3 Motorway at Bors (estimated opening date: 2023). A 3.5km stretch between Oradea and A3 motorway in the Arad area is open.
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 (17.7km) and Robanesti - Slatina (39.9km) with opening dates in 2021 and Slatina - Colonesti (31.8km) and Colonesti - Pitesti (31.8km) with opening dates in 2023 (for the last two contracts were signed recently, in September 2020, while for section Colonesti - Pitesti the contract allocation procedure may be repeated).
OTHER PROJECTS
Planned Targu Mures - Iasi - Ungheni motorway: tender in progress for update of feasibility study for section Targu Mures - Targu Neamt. Update of feasibility studies in progress for planned motorways Sibiu - Fagaras, Brasov - Bacau and Timisoara - Moravita.
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