Romanian Motorways Review - Q3 2023

(c) 130km.ro / 30 September 2023

The motorway section Nusfalau - Suplacu de Barcau (13.55km), part of A3, was opened in September. With this, Romania passed 1,000km of high-speed road network, with 968.53km of motorways and 39.89km of expressways. The Braila bridge over Danube, one of Romania's most important infrastructure projects, was opened in July.

Additionally, a number of new contracts were signed in Q3. The status and recent news for each Romanian motorway and expressway project is presented below.

A0 MOTORWAY (Bucharest Ringroad)

Works in progress for all three sections of the Southern part of the motorway, with a total length of 51.2km and opening dates in 2023 (these will probably be delayed). On the Northern part of the motorway there are contracts signed for all four sections, after the contract for section 1 was signed, finally, in September 2023 (total length of 49.6km). Section 2 could open in 2023, section 3 is scheduled for 2025 and section 4 for 2024.

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 are being prepared or have works in progress: 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 with works proceeding nicely (30.4km, opening date in 2025, possibly in 2024).

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 works are in progress 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.

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; this segment could be opened in 2023 as works have progressed nicely.

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 2025, but requires a separate tender for viaducts; Mihaiesti - Zimbor (13.3km) under construction, opening date in 2025; Zimbor - Poarta Salajului (13.3km) under construction, opening date in 2024; Poarta Salajului - Zalau (15.1km) and Zalau - Nusfalau (25.8km) being tendered; Nusfalau - Suplacu de Barcau (13.6km) opened in 2023; Suplacu de Barcau - Chiribis (26.4km) - tender in progress, contractor selected in September 2023; Chiribis - Biharia (28.9km) - contractor selected, procedure is challenged; 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 the procedure was challenged.

For section Buzau - Focsani works are in progress 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 works are in progress 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. For section Bacau - Pascani contracts are signed on all three segments: 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 planned.

A8 UNITY MOTORWAY (Tg. Mures - Ungheni)

Tender in progress for section I Targu Mures - Miercurea Nirajului (24.40km). Tender is planned for section II Miercurea Nirajului - Leghin. Contract signed in September 2023 for section III Leghin - Targu Neamt (29.91km) with opening date in 2026.

A10 MOTORWAY (Sebes - Turda)

Motorway opened to traffic on its entire length.

A11 MOTORWAY (Arad - Oradea)

On A11 works are in progress for the connection between Oradea and A3 Motorway at Bors (19.0 km in length, out of which 13km will be an expressway and the remained a national road). Estimated opening date is in 2023. A 3.5km stretch between Oradea and A3 motorway in the Arad area is open.

A13 MOTORWAY (Sibiu - Bacau)

For route Sibiu - Fagaras the status is follows: section I Boita - Avrig/Marsa (14.25km) - contractor selected in September 2023; section II Avrig/Marsa - Arpasu de Jos (19.92km) - tender in progress; section III Arpasu de Jos - Sambata de Sus (17.61km) - contract signed in August 2023, opening date in 2027; section IV Sambata de Sus - Fagaras (16.26km) - contract signed in September 2023, opening date in 2027. Tender in progress for design of the remaining route.

DX4 EXPRESWAY (TURDA - DEJ)

Works in progress on section A3 - DN1 (Tureni), 4.96km, opening date in 2025.

DX6 EXPRESWAY (BRAILA - GALATI) AND BRAILA BRIDGE

Works in progress for DX6 expressway (12.3km). Opening date is estimated for the first half of 2024. The route connects to a bridge over the Danube between Braila and Smardan in Tulcea County which was opened in July 2023 (the bridge is not part of the Braila - Galati expressway). The bridge is scheduled for opening on 6 July 2023.

DX12 EXPRESWAY (Craiova - Pitesti)

Section II Robanesti - Slatina (39.9km) is open. New contract signed, finally, in September 2023 for section I Craiova - Robanesti (17.7km) with opening date in 2025. 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.

Notice: 130km.ro only covers motorways and expressways which are open, are currently under construction or for which tender for construction are in progress. We do not cover sections that are proposed, planned or currently under design. The motorway map published by 130km.ro is updated quarterly or when new routes are opened to traffic.

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