Romanian Motorways Review - Q1 2022
(c) 130km.ro / 31 March 2022
No new motorway or expressway segments were opened in Romania in the first quarter of 2022. The status and recent news for each Romanian motorway and expressway 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 length of 51.2km and opening dates in 2023. Works in progress for all three sections. For the Northern part of the motorway there are contracts signed for sections 2 (19.0km, opening date in 2024) and 4 (4.5km, opening date in 2023), while for the other two sections (of 17.5km and 8.6km respectively) contractors have been selected but no contracts are signed yet.
A1 MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Nadlac)
On A1 section Bucharest - Pitesti is opened to traffic (109.6km). On the following section, Pitesti - Sibiu, there are contracts signed and works in progress for segment 1 Sibiu - Boita (13.2km, opening date in 2023), segment 2 Boita - Cornetu (31.3km, opening date in 2027) and segment 5 Curtea de Arges - Pitesti (30.4km, opening date in 2025). Segment 1 could be open to traffic by the end of this year according to the most recent estimates. For section 2 the contract was signed this February and the order for starting work was issued in March. For section 3 (Cornetu - Tigveni, 37.4km) the tender procedure is in progress with three offers received; finally, for section 4 (Tigveni - Curtea de Arges, 9.9km) a contractor was selected and the contract was signed in November 2021.
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 open with the exception of 13.2km on segment 2 (Cosevita - Margina); for the latter a new tender was canceled after receiving a single non-compliant order. According to the most recent statements the tender procedure will be launched again (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) is open; there are no other routes that are open or under construction on this section, tenders expected no earlier than 2025.
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) open; Ungheni - Ogra (10.1km) open; Ogra - Iernut (3.6km) open; Iernut - Chetani (17.9km) open; Chetani - Campia Turzii (15.7km) a new contractor selected, tender procedure has been challenged; 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; Nusfalau - Suplacu de Barcau (13.6km) under construction, opening date in 2022; Suplacu de Barcau - Chiribis (26.4km) contractor selected but tender procedure is challenged; Chiribis - Biharia (28.9km) under construction, opening date planned for 2022, but there are some issues with the contractor and the contract could be canceled; Biharia - Bors (5.4km) open.
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)
Bacau ringroad (16.3km) is open. Tender in progress for section Ploiesti - Buzau (63.3km) on all three segments with contractors selected but no contracts signed yet (at leas one tender was challenged). Tender procedures launced in February for the four segments of section Buzau - Focsani (82.4km). The remaining sections are currently being planned; tenders for sections Focsani - Bacau and Bacau - Pascani could be launched this year.
A10 MOTORWAY (Sebes - Turda)
Open to traffic (70.0km).
A11 MOTORWAY (ARAD - ORADEA)
On A11 works are in progress for the connection between Oradea and A3 Motorway at Bors of 19,0km, of which 13km will be an expressway and the difference a national road (estimated opening date: 2023). A 3.5km stretch between Oradea and A3 motorway in the Arad area is open.
DX6 EXPRESWAY (BRAILA - GALATI) AND BRAILA BRIDGE
Works in progress for Braila - Galati expressway (12.3km). Opening date is estimated for 2024. The route connects to a bridge over the Danube between Braila and Smardan in Tulcea County which is under construction. This is one of the most important infrastructure projects in Romania (the bridge is not part of the Braila - Galati expressway). Opening of the bridge is scheduled for the end of 2022.
DX12 EXPRESWAY (CRAIOVA - PITESTI)
Work in progress for all four sections of DX12 expressway Craiova - Pitesti, the first expressway under construction in Romania. Section I Craiova - Robanesti (17.7km) is expected to be opened this year but works are lagging and the contract could be canceled; section II Robanesti - Slatina (39.9km) is also expected to be opened in 2022, with works progressing nicely and the first segment expected to be opened in April. Sections III Slatina - Colonesti (31.8km) and IV Colonesti - Pitesti (31.9km) have opening dates in 2023-2024.
OTHER PROJECTS
130km.ro only covers motorways and expressways which are either open or at least have tender procedures in place for execution; other projects and ideas for which preliminary design and planning work is in progress are not covered as they tend to change, be delayed or get canceled frequently. Still, some information on some major projects is presented below.
For the planned Targu Mures - Iasi - Ungheni motorway there are tenders in progress for updates of feasibility studies for the entire route, but start of works is expected some years in the future. Tender for Sibiu - Fagaras motorway could be launced this year. Update of feasibility studies is in progress for planned motorways Brasov - Bacau and Timisoara - Moravita.
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