The European Commission (EC) will contribute EUR 726 million to the construction of Romania's Craiova-Pitesti expressway with a length of 121 km, according to an official statement sent on Tuesday.

The project, which is part of the trans-European transport network, includes constructing two lanes in each direction, ten connecting sections, and 75 bridges or passages.

The new highway will improve traffic in the region, where the average driving speeds are below 60 km/h, and the number of fatal accidents is 5.8% above the Romanian average. Reducing the travel time between Craiova and Pitesti will reduce transport costs and increase the Romanian road network's economic efficiency.

The Craiova - Pitesti express road is also known as the "Ford highway" because it is one of the promises the Romanian Government has made to US carmaker Ford to convince it to invest more money in its Craiova factory. Ford currently produces two SUV models in Craiova, EcoSport and Puma, which are mainly sold on the European markets.

The 121 km expressway is split into four sections, which have already been contracted. The combined cost of the four sections is EUR 650 mln, according to data centralized by Economedia.ro.

The project should be completed by the end of 2023.

andrei@romania-insider.com

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