Bucharest-Brasov Highway: The Construction Countdown Restarts

The Bucharest-Brasov Highway is one of the eternal projects of the Romanian government, regardless of who was in power. The controversial project has been under discussion for 11 years already, and this year brings a new deadline for starting the works: October 2016. Authorities offer assurances that this time everything possible is being done for a problem-free project. Ideally, construction should take six years, and until then, several works will be carried out to ease traffic towards the mountains.

mountain highway The Bucharest-Brasov Highway is a complex project that should take place over a six-year period if everything goes according to calculations. However, when it comes to highways, calculations never seem to align with the local reality. In Romania, before any highway, there are plans, promises, and scandals. The Bucharest-Brasov Highway, specifically the A3, fits this pattern perfectly. The first discussions about the project appeared in 1994. Almost 20 years later, in 2013, the Comarnic-Brasov segment, totaling 53 kilometers, was handed over to the Vinci-Strabag-Aktor companies. If everything had gone according to plan, today we should have been halfway through the project. Instead, we are left only with the project and, more recently, the promise that works will begin this fall.

„There were disputes after the contract was awarded to the Vinci-Strabag-Aktor association; there were disputes. On one hand, it was said that the bidder did not find the necessary funds, and on the other hand, CNADR communicated that it was canceling the project’s awarding procedure for reasons not related to the responsibility of the consortium to which the contract was awarded. What is certain is that the highway works remained exactly where they were in 2013,” Marius Tudose, an expert in European financing, told IMOPEDIA.ro.

Authorities offer assurances that everything is being done for the rapid completion of the highway

Meanwhile, thousands of cars block the road to the mountains every weekend, waiting for a highway that is constantly said to appear. The latest deadline presented by the authorities is October of this year. According to the Ministry of Transport, everything possible is being done to start this project as quickly as possible.

„We have three lots for the highway. For the end sections, the auction for the execution of works is underway, and for the middle section, the feasibility study will be completed," explains Dan Costecu, the Minister of Transport.

For the Comarnic-Predeal and Predeal-Cristian sectors, the auctions were announced last summer. In the case of these segments, the contracts vary between 316 and 380 million lei, excluding VAT, as shown in the participation announcement posted on the Electronic Public Procurement System website. For the design and execution contract of the Bucharest – Brasov highway, an open auction was organized based on the lowest price criterion. The price is set for several segments. Thus, Lot 1 Comarnic-Predeal has an estimated value of 166 million lei excluding VAT. For Lot 2, specifically the Predeal – Cristian segment, the price is 149.8 million lei excluding VAT.

„These are projects that are not financed through European funds, and the scale of the project makes it impossible to be supported by the state budget. Therefore, serious contractors are needed who can find these funds and finish the works within 72 months from the date of awarding,” continues Marius Tudose.

Meanwhile, alternative solutions are being prepared to streamline traffic towards the mountains

But 72 months seems like too long a term for those who frequently travel to the mountains. If delays are added, then perhaps a short-term solution is needed to resolve the congestion on DN1. Authorities have also taken this aspect into account, which is why, in parallel with the works on the A3 highway, plans are also being made for modernization works on the current road.

„To streamline traffic on DN1, Feasibility Studies regarding the Comarnic and Busteni bypasses are in progress. After the studies are completed, the construction works will be put up for auction, with funding from the state budget. Also for traffic streamlining, at the exit from Sinaia towards Brasov, a roundabout is designed and is to be built. Additionally, feasibility studies regarding the Campina Bypass, the modernization of the existing road on Valea Doftanei (DJ 102I), and the forest road to Sacele will be finalized, so that in 2016 works can begin to have a modern national road between Campina and Sacele,” states a CNADNR press release.

The A3 Highway has a planned length of 584 km, starting from Bucharest and going through Ploiesti, Brasov, Fagaras, Sighisoara, Targu Mures, Turda, Cluj-Napoca, Zalau, and Oradea. However, officially, the highway is divided into two independent projects: the Bucharest-Brasov Highway and the Brasov-Cluj-Bors Highway, also known as the Transylvania Highway.