Romanian Motorways Review - Q2 2022
(c) 130km.ro / 02 July 2022
The first expressway section in Romania was opened in April 2022: a stretch of 18.5km between Robanesti and Piatra Olt which is lot 1 of section II of the Craiova - Pitesti expressway (DEx12). This was the only expressway of motorway opening in Q2. 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 for segment 1 Sibiu - Boita (13.2km, opening date in 2023), segment 2 Boita - Cornetu (31.3km, opening date in 2027), segment 4 Tigveni - Curtea de Arges (9.9km, opening date in 2026), and segment 5 Curtea de Arges - Pitesti (30.4km, opening date in 2025). Works are in progress for sections 1 and 5 (for sections 2 and 4 contract were signed recently, in Feb 2022 and Nov 2021 respectively). Additionally, the contractor was also selected for section 3 (Cornetu - Tigveni, 37.4km), but the contract hasn't been signed yet.
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 launched recently and six offers were received (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 (15.1km) and Zalau - Nusfalau (25.8km) 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) - contract cancelled in May 2022; 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. For section Ploiesti - Buzau (63.3km) contractors are selected for all three segments; in June 2022 contracts were signed for segment 1 Dumbrava - Mizil (21.0km, opening in 2024) and segment 2 Mizil - Pietroasele (28.4km, opening in 2024). Tender procedures in progress for all 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 December 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; on section II Robanesti - Slatina (39.9km) segment 1 Robanesti - Piatra Olt (18.5km) was opened in April 2022, while segment 2 Piatra Olt - Slatina is expected to be opened this year as well (possibly in the next few months); 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. Works in progress for feasibility study for the planned Sibiu - Fagaras motorway. Update of feasibility study contract was canceled in June 2022 for the planned Brasov - Bacau motorway; tender procedure for the planned Timisoara - Moravita motorway could be launched next year.
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