Monthly Road Infrastructure Digest (EN)

[north]

December 2016 * National roads

12/04  Anemic progress photodocumented regarding the modernisation of DN 5 south of Bucharest between the capital and Adunații Copăceni.
12/05  Notice to commence issued for the modernisation of DN 18 between Cârlibaba and Iacobeni in the far north (part of the Roads VI modernisation programme); works could be completed by the end of 2017.
12/08  Dashcam video showing completion of works for the modernisation of DN 76 between Brad and Ionești (km 35+432 - km 55+425). This in fact is the only section completed so far of the ill-fated project regarding the modernisation of the ~180 km DN 76 / E79 between Deva and Oradea, a project started in 2002. Constructor for this contract (5R10b, in fact formerly terminated / works retendered in 2012) was PORR BAU GmbH.

[north]

December 2016 * Bypasses

12/05  A new 6.5 km two-lane road (labeled as DN 65F here) functioning as the eastern bypass of Craiova (improperly called "the southern bypass"), that connects DN 6 eastbound (to Alexandria and Bucharest) with DN 65 (to Pitești and Sibiu, also alternate route to Bucharest via motorway A1) opened to traffic on December 6. It connects, via the northern bypass (opened in 2006) to DN 6 westbound, as well as to secondary national roads 6B and 65C. Contractor was S.E.C.O.L.- Societa Edile Construzioni e Lavori S.A. & SECOL Romania SRL & S.E.C.O.L. S.p.A.
12/05  ...a link to a dashcam video is available in this post...
12/07  ...as well as a drone video.
12/17  Pictures from the construction of the Târgu Mureș bypass (currently at 24.3% physical progress).
12/19  Aerial video of the newly-opened section of the Brașov bypass.
12/19  Aerial video of the construction of the interchange between DJ 103 and the Brașov bypass - the northern section between DN 13 and DN 10, currently being widened to four lanes (progress is at 91%).
12/20  According to the NCARI monthly report the following progress was recorded this month for bypasses under construction or widening (only progress greater than or equal to 1% is mentioned): from 91% to 92% for the Caracal bypass; from 2% to 3.6% for the Mihăilești (DN 6) bypass; from 55% to 57% for the Bucharest bypass widening between DN 7 and A1; from 26.5% to 28.5% for the Târgu Jiu bypass.

[north]

January 2017 * Motorways: plans and projects

01/10  Graphical representation of motorway construction payments in 2016. The lion's share went to contracts on two motorway axes: Lugoj - Deva and Sebeș - Turda - Târgu Mureș.
01/16  According to press article, a 11.1% increase of road freight tonne-kilometers, the third largest in the EU (after BG and HR; EU average was 2.2%), was recorded in Romania between 2014 and 2015.

January 2017 * A1 Bucharest - Nădlac

01/12  According to the new minister of transport (Razvan Cuc), "all bureaucratic hurdles" regarding the opening of the 15 km A1 section Dumbrava - Margina "have been identified and eliminated" and the motorway will open to traffic in the interval February 6 - 10. [did not happen]
01/20  Overview of problems related to A1 sections under construction. Modifying the existing construction contract on section 2 in order to remove sector E (km 47+090 - 56+220) from the scope of works, and then tendering the works on this sector remains the biggest challenge for this year. Additionally, construction permits are still missing for parts of sections 3 and 4, years after the beginning of construction.
01/23  Winter pictures from section 4, some taken on a sector where the construction permit still has to be issued.

[north]

January 2017 * A3 Bucharest - Borș

01/21  An overview of problems regarding the A3 motorway sections currently under construction or preparation. On the critical path appears to be obtaining the revised environmental permit for the 255 km section west of Târgu Mureș, finalising construction tenders for Râșnov - Cristian, Târgu Mureș - Ungheni and Gilău bridge, as well as retendering the Suplacu de Barcău - Borș section. Additionally, according to NCARI's January monthly report, the intention regarding the 80 km Mihăiești - Suplacu de Barcău sector is to prepare this project for Red FIDIC - a tender is to start in March 2017 to select a consultant for performing detailed design.
01/28  Forum members report activity going on west of Târgu Mureș: concrete works (Strabag) and construction camp errection (Geiger), despite sub-zero temperatures.

January 2017 * A7 Ploiești - Bacău - Siret

01/16  Winter concrete works on the Bacău bypass.
01/24  User rightfully points out the discrepancy between budget allocation for 2017 for the Bacău bypass and a realistic forecast regarding works progress this year.
01/30  Submission deadlines for tenders for the revision of FS and preparation of detailed design for the future motorway/expressway A7 between Ploiești and Pașcani, a much awaited project, have been pushed back from early January to mid February.

[north]

January 2017 * A10 Sebeș - Turda

01/03  Construction site pictures (though no construction ongoing) from section 2...
01/06  ...and section 1.
01/16  Overview of current problems on the four construction contracts of A10. The most important appears to be that on section 1 design still needs to be agreed with the contractor for the A1xA10 interchange, as well as for the northernmost 3 km; a revised environmental permit and construction permit will then be issued.
01/21  (asp) Forum members report that works are slowly restarting at least on sections 2, 3 and 4...
01/29  ...and pics to prove it.

[north]

January 2017 * National roads

01/18  The 36 km Rovinari - Bumbești Jiu of DN 66 / E79 road (contract 5R2 of the Roads V rehabilitation programme, in fact retendered - after termination of initial contract - and signed as 5R2A in April 2013) was due for acceptance of works. However this has failed mainly due to some drainage issues identified by the acceptance committee.

January 2017 * Bypasses

01/04  Tender for the revision of the FS as well as for preparing detailed design for the Timișoara south/east bypass (between DN 6 eastbound, DN 59 and the southwestern industrial area on DJ 591 - see map here) was launched today, deadline for offers submission is April 10. Terms of reference provide for only 6 months for the revision of the FS and 3 months for the detailed design.
01/17  A new tender for the revision of FS and detailed design was launched today by NCARI, this time for the Râmnicu Vâlcea bypass. The bypass would serve DN 7 north-south transit traffic, in fact paralleling the A1 Sibiu - Pitești currently under preparation. Additionally, forum members criticise the initial alignment proposal as being too long and curvy.

[north]

February 2017 * Motorways: plans and projects

02/23  According to press article, the new minister of transport aims to open to traffic 90 km of motorway in 2017, namely the remainder of the Lugoj - Deva motorway (with the exception of the Holdea - Traian Vuia section comprising the tunnels), sections 3 and 4 of Sebeș - Turda motorway, as well as a 3 km urban section of the Bucharest - Ploiești motorway.

[north]

credits to user TibiV for preparing the Romanian version of this month's A1 digest

February 2017 * A1 Bucharest - Nădlac

02/02  According to NCARI's press release, a committee for technical inspection of works is assessing the motorway section Dumbrava - Margina.
02/06  NCARI suspends the design contract for updating the feasibility study for the Sibiu - Pitești motorway, for three months. The argument given is that the winter period is inappropriate for geotechnical investigations in the mountain area (however other similar contracts have not seen in the past similar treatment).
02/06  Pictures showing reactivation of land slides near Aciliu on Orăștie - Sibiu motorway.
02/13  ...and some more pics, showing new faults of hundreds of meters long.
02/15  NCARI announces a new technical inspection of the motorway section Dumbrava - Margina, hopefully to be open to traffic soon...
02/17  ...however some works still remain to be completed on this section, as shown in this document.
02/21  Photo- and video-report from Ilia interchange and section 4 of Lugoj - Deva motorway, no progress in comparison to December 2016 (as expected).
02/22  Chart showing monthly progress rates for the three A1 motorway sections under construction.
02/24  Ample set of pics from section 3 (Holdea - Grind), showing works taking place at various locations including at the temporary Holdea interchange.

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February 2017 * A3 Bucharest - Borș

02/10  Seven bids were submitted for the works tender regarding finalising the construction of the Gilău interchange and Someș bridge. Only when this will be completed, will the A3 section between Gilău and Nădășel (to be finalised this year) be usable for traffic.
02/17  First pictures showing on-site activity for the Nădășel - Mihăiești section: archaeology, technological road, construction camp.
02/19  Close up pics of structures work on the Ungheni - Ogra section close to Târgu Mureș...
02/22  ...that currently stands at 17.2% physical progress and is the only section under construction between Târgu Mureș and Câmpia Turzii.

[north]

February 2017 * A7 Ploiești - Bacău - Siret

02/09  Winter works: piling on the Bacău bypass.
02/25  And more pics that appear to promise a busy 2017 construction season for this project.

[north]

February 2017 * A10 Sebeș - Turda

02/08  Pics showing works slowly restarting on section 2...
02/10 and 02/12  ...as well as section 1.
02/12  Section 2 pics, showing a quite remarkable construction rhythm for February.
02/24  Pictures showing works at and around the Mureș bridge at Rădești on section 2...
02/25  ...as well as other pics from the same section.
02/25  And a set of pics showing a more advanced construction status around Aiud.
02/27  The design for the Alba Iulia north interchange appears to be approved, to be built in the configuration shown in the pic from this post.

[north]

February 2017 * National roads

02/07  NCARI retenders the design for the four-lane widening of DN 7 between Bâldana and Titu. Apparently the previous tender (from December) was unsuccessful because there were no bids submitted, as the focus is on other tenders for major design contracts.
02/25  Many pictures (including description) from the rehabilitation of the DN 5 four-lane section south of Bucharest up to Adunații Copăceni.

[north]

March 2017 * Motorways: plans and projects

03/07  An overview of the current network of motorways in Romania shows that its length (after the recent opening of another section of A1) is exactly 747.95 km (entirely double carriageway). However, forum member rightfully complains about the absence of a mature project pipeline.
03/07  Forum member presents a very brief (partly comparative) analysis about the easiness to bypass various cities / urban areas in Romania. A thorough analysis of this type could be formally developed in the future to prioritise investments regarding urban and periurban road projects.
03/11  (and subsequent posts) Another lengthy, heated and interesting discussion about what is the best strategic approach for improving the road connection between Moldova and Transylvania / rest of Europe.

[north]

credits to user TibiV for preparing the Romanian version of this month's A1 digest

March 2017 * A1 Bucharest - Nădlac

03/04  Photoreport from the Holdea U/C temporary interchange (see map and details) of the Lugoj - Deva motorway.
03/06  Motorway Lugoj - Deva, subsection Dumbrava - Margina (~15.5 km) opened to traffic today. The motorway will bypass the town Făget, as well as an at grade crossing of railway line 212 Lugoj - Ilia. Pictures here.
03/06  An aerial video from the Margina interchange shows how the two main traffic flows (eastbound A1 -> DN 68A and westbound DN 68 -> A1) intersect in one of the interchange's roundabouts. This situation will persist until at least 2020, when the missing section Margina - Holdea could open to traffic.
03/09  A new construction permit (including for works previously executed) was issued today for Lugoj - Deva section 4...
03/14, 03/14, 03/15  ...and pics to prove that the contractor is back in business on this section.
03/16, 03/16, 03/16, 03/17  More pics from the most difficult location on this section - its easternmost sector, close to the Șoimuș interchange, where it will we connect to the existing Deva - Sibiu motorway. The third link includes an aerial rendering of the future motorway; the fourth link discusses the connection with the existing motorway.
03/20  An overview of the critical issues affecting construction progress on Lugoj - Deva motorway section 4. Opening to traffic of this section in 2017 is extremely improbable, with a 2018 opening depending on NCARI's assistance in promptly solving the issues described.
03/24  Photoreport shows ongoing slide of the Bucium hill near Aciliu on section 3 of the Orăștie - Sibiu motorway.
03/25  Pictures from the future Holdea interchange, construction still in early stages.
03/25, 03/28, 03/30  Construction pics from the Lugoj - Deva motorway section 4. The first covers the entire section from Bretea Mureșeană to Șoimuș, with the second and third addressing the Minția and Șoimuș interchange areas respectively.

[north]

March 2017 * A3 Bucharest - Borș

03/06  Aerial video covering location and some works ongoing between the Iernut and Târgu Mureș airport interchanges on the A3.
03/06  Despite the motorway Bucharest - Ploiești having been open to traffic since the summer of 2012, its Moara Vlăsiei interchange at DJ 101 is still not officially operational.
03/07  Bids finally received for the easternmost section (Târgu Mureș - Ungheni) of the Târgu Mureș - Câmpia Turzii motorway.
03/09  Map made by forum member showing the most important request of the Cluj county council regarding the proposed Nădășel - Mihăiești section alignment: relocating the planned (red) motorway alignment to the east (green), in order to avoid crossing the Șardu village. This may lead to delays in the construction of this section.
03/11  Forum member shares map showing the current situation on the urban section of A3 inside north Bucharest. Blue section is expected to open soon, however much work is still needed for the orange section.
03/12  Construction pics prove that the spring has arrived on the Ungheni - Ogra motorway section.
03/14  Forum member shares knowledge about test piles as being prepared on the Nădășel - Mihăiești section, as well as future motorway location pictures.
03/14  According to the monthly NCARI progress report, the Ungheni - Ogra section has seen between February and March a progress rate of over 3.5% (from 17.2% to 20.8%)...
03/17  ...and a pic to support this claim.
03/18  More construction pics from the same section.
03/22 and 03/23  And even more pics.
03/24  Pics showing that the construction season has started also on section Gilău - Nădășel.