Highways in Romania

Highways in Romania as of December 23rd, 2013. The white middle line depicts sections in use, dotted middle line depicts sections under construction, while purple represents proposed expressways.

Highways in Romania are dual carriageways, grade separated with controlled-access, designed for high speeds. In 2012, legislation amendments defined two types of highways: motorways (Romanian: Autostrazi) and expressways (Romanian: Drumuri expres).

The main differences are that motorways have emergency lanes and the maximum allowed speed limit is 130 km/h (81 mph), while expressways do not and the speed limit is 120 km/h (75 mph).^[1]

The EU accession of the country in 2007, and the improved in the recent years utilization of the allocated EU funds enabled Romania to speed up the expansion of its highway network.

There are no toll roads in Romania, but a vignette is required, except for municipal roads.

The Government of Romania plans to spend 4 billion euro in the next years on 289 km of new motorways; another 5 billion euro for highway construction will come from the EU’s transport operational programme, according to official data.^[2] There is a plan for roughly 2,000 km of highways that would connect all major cities in Romania to highways in Western and Central Europe.

Motorways

As of December 2014, 694 km are operational, but 10 km are not in use.

Currently under construction is A1 Motorway part of the Pan European IV Corridor. Arad to Nadlac(near the Hungarian border) 38km to be finished in 2015, Timisoara-Lugoj 26km also to be finished in 2015, Lugoj-Deva to be finished in 2016, and Sibiu-Pitesti is tendering.

Also under construction are parts of A3 Motorway, which is the largest motorway project in Europe with a length of 588 km from Bucharest to Oradea (near the Hungarian border). This project had the contract with Bechtel terminated. The remaining 64 km that were 50% completed, from Suplacu to Oradea(near the Hungarian border) were re-auctioned. Gilau-Nadasel(also called Cluj-Napoca West By-Pass) an 8.7 km strech is under construction and is to be finished at the end of 2015. Campia Turzii - Targu-Mures a 55 km portion is also under construction and has the dead line in 2016. Bucharest By-Pass - Bucharest a 6.5km stretch has 3.5 km finalized with the remainder to be re-auctioned.

A10 Motorway has a length of 70 km and starts near Sebes and ends near Turda. It is the first motorway in Romania to connect 2 motorways: A1 Motorway and A3 Motorway. It is to be finished in 2016.

Also A7 Motorway (also called Bacau east By-Pass) a 17km stretch, began to be constructed in 2015 as a half-profile.

Recent openings were: on A1, Arad-Nadlac 28.2 km (partial opening of the total of 38 km)in Dec. 2014, A1 Saliste-Cunta (Sibiu-Orastie lot 3 of 22.1 km) in Nov. 2014.

A6 Balint-Lugoj 11 km in Dec. 2013 - the first segment of A6 Motorway was finalized; A1 Lugoj-Deva lot1 17.4 km in Dec. 2013, A1 Sibiu-Orastie the lots 1,2 and 4 of 24.1 km, 19.8 km, and 16.1 km in Dec. 2013, A4 (Lazu-Portul Constanta) 2 km in Jul. 2013 - the Constanta By-Pass was complete, and A1 Orastie-Simeria 17.7 km in May 2013.

A1 Simeria-Deva 14.8 km in Dec. 2012, A2 Cernavoda-Medgidia 20.5 km in Nov. 2012, A1 Timisoara-Lugoj lot1 9.5 km in Oct. 2012; in July there were several segments opened to the public; A2 Cernavoda-Medgidia 20.5 km half-profile, A2 Medgidia-Murfatlar 16.3 km, A4 By-Pass Constanta 10.4 km, A3 Moara Vlasiei-Ploiesti 42.5 km, A3: Centura Bucuresti - Moara Vlasiei 13 km. In June 2012 A1 Arad By-Pass 12.3 km.

Timișoara–Arad (32 km) and Arad By-Pass (12 km) half-profile, part of the A1 motorway (Bucharest–Nădlac) are another projects completed in 2011. In the same year, half of Constanța By-Pass was ready.^[3]

In order to complete another 100 km of motorway by end of 2010, Romanian Government struggled to allocate the necessary funds for 55 km motorway, part of the Bucharest–Ploieşti motorway (from a total of 62 km).

A1 Motorway

A1 consists of the folowing segments; Bucharest–Pitești, Pitești–Sibiu, Sibiu–Deva, Deva-Lugoj, Lugoj–Timișoara, Timișoara–Arad, Arad–Nădlac 558 km – from which 340 km are already in service.

As of 2014 the following segments are finalized: Bucharest-Pitesti(1972), Sibiu By-Pass(2010), Timișoara-Arad(2011), Arad By-Pass(2012), Timisoara-Lugoj lot1(2012), Deva-Simeria(2012), Simeria-Orastie(2013), Orastie-Sibiu lots 1,2 and 4(2013), Lugoj-Deva lot1(2013), Orastie-Sibiu lot3(2014), Nadlac-Arad lots 1,2(partial)(2014);

As of 2014 the following segments are in progress: Nadlac-Arad lots 1,2(2015), Timisoara-Lugoj(2015), Lugoj-Deva(2016), Sibiu-Pitesti (tendering)

A2 (Sun motorway)

A2: Bucharest–Constanța 206 km – completed

A3 Motorway

A3 Motorway with it's 582 km is the biggest project in Central Europe. It consists of two portions: Bucharest-Brasov(called the Snow Motorway) with 167 km and Brasov-Bors(Oradea)(also called the Transylvania Motorway) with 415 km. It will connect the north-western region called Transylvania with the capital of Romania - Bucharest and with Hungary. In 2014 only 110 out of 582 km were in service.

A3 has the following segments: Bucharest–Ploiesti, Ploiesti-Brașov, Brasov - Targu-Mures, Targu-Mures - Gilau(Cluj-Napoca West), Gilau-Bors(Oradea) As of 2014 the following segments are finalized: Turda-Gilau(in 2009) 42 km and Turda-Campia Turzii(in 2010) 10 km out of the 107 km from the Targu-Mures - Gilau segment, Bucharest By-Pass-Ploiesti(2012) 55 out of 64 km from the Bucharest-Ploiesti segment. Another 3.5 km out of the 6.5 km stretch between the Bucharest By-Pass and Bucharest were finalized in 2014, which is part of the Bucharest-Ploiesti segment, but are not connected with an interchange, the remaining 3 km will be re-auctioned.

As of 2014 the following segments are in progress: The Comarnic-Brașov segment (58 km) is currently being tendered for a concession agreement. 55 km Targu-Mures - Campia Turzii which is part of the Targu-Mures - Gilau segment is due in 2016, Gilau-Nadaselu an 8.7 km strech is due in 2015, Nadaselu-Mihaesti is tendered, and Suplacu de Barcau-Bors was just atributed, is already built approximately 50% by the previous contractor and is due in 2016.

A4 Motorway

A4: Constanța bypass 22 km – in service

A6 Motorway

Planned motorways

Besides these motorways there are other two A5 Ploiești-Albița and A8 Târgu Mureș-Iași-Ungheni which are just on the planning phase and have a preliminary delivery date around 2018-2020. There are also plans to build the southern section of the Bucharest Motorway Ring. Works on this section should begin by the end of 2013. Two other projects have been recently brought up, the Craiova-Pitești and Sebes-Turda motorways, the first one having the same priority as the Comarnic-Brașov and Bucharest Southern Motorway Ring projects.

List

Trunk Motorway	Route	Planned (km) / Built (km)	Remarks
A1 motorway	Bucharest – Piteşti – Râmnicu Vâlcea – Sibiu – Deva – Timişoara – Arad – Nădlac –> Hungary	581 / 340	Bucharest – Piteşti (96 km), Piteşti bypass (13.6 km), Sibiu – Deva (132.5 km), Traian Vuia – Balinţ (17.4 km), Timişoara - Arad (54 km) and Pecica - Nadlac (26 km) sections are operational; works ongoing on another 136 km between Nădlac and Sibiu; the remaining 116 km between Pitesti and Sibiu to be completed by 2020.
A2 motorway	Bucharest – Feteşti – Cernavodă – Constanţa	206 / 206	Operational on the entire length; first fully completed Romanian motorway.
A3 motorway	Bucharest – Ploieşti – Braşov – Sighişoara – Târgu Mureş – Cluj-Napoca – Zalău – Oradea – Borş –> Hungary	584 / 107	Bucharest Ring Road – Ploieşti (55 km) and Câmpia Turzii – Gilǎu (52 km) sectors are operational; Bucharest Ring Road – Bucharest (6.5 km) segment under construction; Gilău – Nădăşel (8.5 km) segment due in 2015; Targu-Mures-Campia Turzii(55 km) due in 2016, Suplacu de Barcau-Bors awarded in 2015, Comarnic – Braşov (55 km) tendered as a concession in 2013.
A4 motorway	Ovidiu – Agigea – Mangalia – Vama Veche –> Bulgaria	~60 / 22	Constanţa bypass complete, between Ovidiu and the Port of Constanţa. Agigea – Vama Veche section planned.
A5 motorway	Braşov – Bacău	160 / 0	Mentioned in the 2014 Masterplan[4]
A6 motorway	Junction with A1 near Lugoj – Drobeta-Turnu Severin – Craiova – Calafat – Alexandria – Bucharest	n/a / 11	Operational between the junction with A1 and the Lugoj bypass.[5]
A7 motorway	Splitting from A3 near Ploieşti – Buzău – Focşani – Bacău – Suceava –> Ukraine	? / 0	Bacău bypass was considered for tendering in 2013.
East–West motorway	Moldova –> Iaşi – Târgu Frumos – Săbăoani – Târgu Neamţ – Poiana Largului – Ditrău – Târgu Mureş – Junction with A3	318 / 0	It will connect regions of Moldavia and Transylvania. Feasibility studies conducted in 2009-2011; Feasibility studies revision and update contracted in 2015.[6]
A10 motorway	Junction with A1 near Sebeș – Junction with A3 near Turda	70 / 0	Works in progress, to be completed by 2016.
A12 motorway	Junction with A1 near Piteşti – Slatina – Craiova	121 / 0	Mentioned in the 2014 Masterplan[4]
Făgăraş–Sibiu motorway	Junction with A3 near Făgăraş – Junction with A1 near Sibiu	? / 0	Mentioned in the 2014 Masterplan[4]
A0 Bucharest motorway ring road	Beltway around Bucharest	100 / 0	South Ring Road Motorway (48 km) tendered as a concession in 2013. North Ring Road Motorway (52 km) planned.[7]
Focşani–Albiţa motorway	Splitting from A7 near Focşani – Albiţa –> Moldova	? / 0	Planned; proposed for a concession contract.

Expressways

Planned expressways according to CNADNR (Romanian National Company of Motorways and National Roads):^[4][8]

History

Motorways are identified by A followed by a number. As of December 2014, Romania has in use 684 km of motorway, with another 240 km under construction.^[9] In recent years, a master plan for the national motorway network has been developed and many works have begun around the country,^[10] which will result in significant changes by 2015.^[11]

There are few tolls for using roads in Romania. There is one at the Giurgeni – Vadu Oii Bridge over the river Danube on highway DN2A at Vadu Oii and one at the Cernavodă Bridge, on the A2 motorway, a 17 km long section between Feteşti and Cernavodă which consists of two road/railway bridges. Nevertheless every owner of a car that uses a motorway (A) or a national road (DN) in Romania must purchase a vignette (rovinietă) from any of the main petrol stations or at any post office throughout the country.^[12]

The Romanian National Company of Motorways and National Roads (CNADNR) intends to organize a tender for the design and construction of two highway projects. The planned new highway schemes are for Craiova-Pitesti and Ploiesti-Buzau-Focsani, and will value up to EUR 2 billion.^[13]

By the end of 2015 it is planned to be 756.7 km of operational motorways in Romania.

Gallery

• 

  A1 motorway between Bucharest and Pitești

• 

  A1 motorway as Pitești bypass

• 

  A1 motorway as Sibiu bypass, opened in 2010

• 

  A1 motorway near Timișoara

See also

• Transportation in Romania
• Romania
• European routes
• List of roads and highways

References

External links

• Romanian National Company of Motorways and National Roads
• skyscrapercity.com: Romanian Motorways - Index and Statistics

Main roads in Romania Motorways A1 A2 A3 A4 A6 Planned motorways Brașov–Bacău (A5) Ploiești–Bacău (A7) East–West (A8) Sebeș–Turda (A10) Pitești–Craiova (A12) Bucharest Ring (A0) Făgăraș–Sibiu Focșani–Albița Main national roads DN1 DN2 DN3 DN4 DN5 DN6 DN7 CB Other national roads DN1B DN67C DN7C DN10 DN100 DN21