Romanian Motorways Review - Q1 2023
(c) 130km.ro / 31 March 2023
No new motorway or expressway sections were opened to traffic in the first quarter of 2023. 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. It remains to be seen which ones will actually be opened this year. As for the Northern part of the motorway: heavily delayed and challenged tender procedure in progress for section 1 (17.5km); contract signed and works in progress for section 2 (19.0km, opening date in 2024); contract signed in March 2023 for section 3 (8.6km) with opening date in 2025; contract signed and works in progress on section 4 (4.5km, opening date in 2023).
A1 MOTORWAY (Bucharest - Nadlac)
On A1 section Bucharest - Pitesti is opened to traffic (109.6km). On the following section, Pitesti - Sibiu, section I Sibiu - Boita (13.17km) was opened in December 2022. All other four sections have contracts signed: section 2 Boita - Cornetu (31.3km, opening date in 2027), section 3 (Cornetu - Tigveni, 37.4km, opening date in 2027), section 4 Tigveni - Curtea de Arges (9.9km, opening date in 2026) and section 5 Curtea de Arges - Pitesti (30.4km, works in progress, opening date in 2025).
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 (Margina - Holdea) for which a contract was signed in October 2022 after a new tender procedure with opening date in 2026 (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.
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 planmned on this section.
Section Brasov - Targu Mures is dropped from official plans and was replaced with the A10 Sebes - Turda motorway. The next section, Targu Mures - Gilau (103.5km) is open with the exception of segment Chetani - Campia Turzii (15.7km) which is under construction with opening date in 2024 (but this could happen in 2023).
On the last section, Gilau - Bors, status is as follows: 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 2023; Suplacu de Barcau - Chiribis (26.4km) - new tender procedure launched in January 2023; Chiribis - Biharia (28.9km) - tender in progress; 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) works are in progress on segment 1 Dumbrava - Mizil (21.0km, opening in 2024) and segment 2 Mizil - Pietroasele (28.4km, opening in 2024); for segment 3 Pietroasele - Buzau (13.90km) a contractor was selected but a contract hasn't been signed yet.
For section Buzau - Focsani contracts are signed for all four segments: 1 Buzau - Vadu Pasii (4.60km, opening in 2024), 2 Vadu Pasii - Ramnicu Sarat (30.80km, opening date in 2025), 3 Ramnicu Sarat - Mandresti Munteni (36.10km, opening date in 2025) and 4 Mandresti Munteni - Focsani Nord (10.94km, opening in 2024).
On section Focsani - Bacau contracts are signed for all three segments: Focsani - Domnesti Targ (35.60km), Domnesti Targ - Racaciuni (38.78km) and Racaciuni - Bacau (21.52km). Opening dates for all three are in 2025. In February 2023 contracts were signed for all three segments of section Bacau - Pascani: 1 Saucesti - Trifesti Targ (30.30km, opening date in 2025), 2 Trifesti - Gheraiesti (18.99km, opening date in 2025) and 3 Mircesti - Pascani (28.09km, opening date in 2025). Tender procedures for sections Pascani - Suceava and Suceava - Siret are being prepared for launch.
A8 MOTORWAY (Tg. Mures - Ungheni)
After many years of delay, the end of 2022 saw the launch of tender procedures for sections I Targu Mures - Miercurea Nirajului (24.40km) and III Leghin - Targu Neamt (29.91km), but completion dates for these procedures are unknown.
A10 MOTORWAY (Sebes - Turda)
Motorway opened to traffic on its entire length after segment 2 (Paraul Iovului - Aiud) was opened in November 2021.
A11 MOTORWAY (Arad - Oradea)
On A11 works are in progress for the connection between Oradea and A3 Motorway at Bors (estimated opening date: 2023). This route will be an expressway. A 3.5km stretch between Oradea and A3 motorway in the Arad area is open.
A13 MOTORWAY (Sibiu - Bacau)
Tenders in progress for all four segments of section Sibiu - Fagaras. A new tender in progress for design of remaining route after contract with previous contractor was canceled.
DX6 EXPRESWAY (BRAILA - GALATI) AND BRAILA BRIDGE
Contract signed and works in progress for DX6 expressway (12.3km). Completion of works is estimated for 2024 but could happen in 2023. 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). Originally scheduled for the end of 2022, opening of the bridge is estimated to take place in mid-2023.
DX12 EXPRESWAY (Craiova - Pitesti)
Section II Robanesti - Slatina (39.9km) is open. New tender launched in March 2023 for section I Craiova - Robanesti (17.7km) after initial contract was canceled. Sections III Slatina - Colonesti (31.8km) and IV Colonesti - Pitesti (31.9km) are under construction and planned to be opened in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
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