Romanian Motorways Review - Q1 2024

(c) 130km.ro / 29 March 2024

Only one section of high-speed road infrastructure was opened in the first quarter of 2024: 13.0km of expressway on the route Oradea – A3 (DEx16). The status and recent news for each Romanian motorway and expressway project is presented below.

A0 MOTORWAY (Bucharest Ringroad)

A partial route on section 1 A2 – Jilava of the motorway's Southern section, together with the remainder of section 2 Jilava – DN6, are scheduled for opening in April 2024 (after 8.7km of section 2 were opened in December 2023). There are works in progress for section 3 (DN6 – A1) which could be opened in the Summer of 2024. In total, the Southern part of the motorway has a length of 51.2km, out of which 8.7km are opened.

On the Northern part of the motorway there are contracts signed for all four sections: section 1 (DJ601 – DN1) after the delayed signing of exection contract in September 2023 (opening date in 2026); the remainder of section 2 DN1 – DN2 is scheduled for opening in 2024 (after 9.5km were opened in November 2023), section 3 DN2 – DN3 is scheduled for opening in 2025, and section 4 4 DN3 – A2 in 2024. The total length of sections under construction on the Northern part of the motorway is 40.1km.

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) is open. 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 and the opening date is 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)

Entire length 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 following section, Targu Mures - Gilau (103.5km) is open to traffic.

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; two viaducts will be built as a distinct project, in which a contractor was selected but the contract hasn’t been signed yet; 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) – contractor selected but contract not signed yet; Nusfalau - Suplacu de Barcau (13.6km) opened in 2023; Suplacu de Barcau - Chiribis (26.4km) - contract finally signed in November 2023; Chiribis - Biharia (28.9km) – execution contract signed in March 2024; Biharia - Bors (5.4km) open.

A4 MOTORWAY (Constanta Ringroad)

Motorway opened to traffic on its entire length (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 is opened on a route of 16.3km. For section Ploiesti - Buzau (63.3km) works are in progress for all three segments: segment 1 Dumbrava - Mizil (21.0km, scheduled for opening in 2024), segment 2 Mizil - Pietroasele (28.4km, scheduled for opening in 2024) and segment 3 Pietroasele - Buzau (13.9km, scheduled for opening in 2025).

For section Buzau - Focsani works are in progress for all four segments: 1 Buzau - Vadu Pasii (4.6km, scheduled for opening in 2024), 2 Vadu Pasii - Ramnicu Sarat (30.8km, scheduled for opening in 2025), 3 Ramnicu Sarat - Mandresti Munteni (36.1km, scheduled for opening in 2025) and 4 Mandresti Munteni - Focsani Nord (10.9km, scheduled for opening in 2024).

On section Focsani - Bacau works are in progress for all three segments: Focsani - Domnesti Targ (35.6km), Domnesti Targ - Racaciuni (38.8km) and Racaciuni - Bacau (21.5km). Opening dates for all three are in 2025. For section Bacau - Pascani there are works in progress on all three segments: 1 Saucesti - Trifesti Targ (30.3km, opening date in 2025), 2 Trifesti - Gheraiesti (19.0km, opening date in 2025) and 3 Mircesti - Pascani (28.1km, opening date in 2025). Tender procedures for sections Pascani - Suceava and Suceava - Siret are planned; they will be built as a motorway for part of their length and as an expressway for the remainder.

A8 UNITY MOTORWAY (Tg. Mures - Ungheni)

In February 2024 the execution contract was signed for section I Targu Mures - Miercurea Nirajului (24.4km, opening date in 2026). Tender is planned for all six segments of section II Miercurea Nirajului - Leghin. Contract signed in September 2023 for section III Leghin - Targu Neamt (29.9km) with opening date in 2026. Route Targu Neamt – Iasi – Ungheni is planned and there is a tender in progress for a bridge over Prut river at Ungheni.

A10 MOTORWAY (Sebes - Turda)

Motorway opened to traffic on its entire length.

A13 MOTORWAY (Sibiu - Bacau)

For route Sibiu - Fagaras the status is follows: section I Boita - Avrig/Marsa (14.25km) - contract signed in November 2023, opening date in 2027; section II Avrig/Marsa - Arpasu de Jos (19.92km) - contract signed in November 2023, opening date in 2027; 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 feasibility study for route Brasov – Bacau.

A14 NORTH MOTORWAY (OAR - SUCEAVA)

Tender in progress for expressway on section Oar – Satu Mare (10.8km).

DEx4 EXPRESSWAY (TURDA - DEJ)

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

DEx6 EXPRESSWAY (BRAILA - GALATI) AND BRAILA BRIDGE

Works in progress for DEx6 expressway (12.3km). Opening is scheduled in 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.

DEx12 EXPRESSWAY (Craiova - Pitesti)

Sections II Robanesti - Slatina (39.9km) and III Slatina - Colonesti (31.8km) are open. Works in progress on section I Craiova - Robanesti (17.7km) with opening date in 2025 and section IV Colonesti - Pitesti (31.9km) scheduled for opening in 2024.

DEx16 EXPRESSWAY (Arad - Oradea)

A section between Oradea and A3 motorway (at Bors) was opened in March 2024; out of a total of 19,0km for this route, 13,0km are built as an expressway and the remained as a national road. For the three sections of route Arad – Oradea tenders were launched in the first quarter of 2024. A section of 3.5km between A1 motorway at DN7 at Arad, designated A11, is opened to traffic.

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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