Almost 24 km of highway were delivered in Romania this year, the work being delayed due to problems generated by the builders or on the field, which required time and much bureaucracy to be solved.

At the beginning of the year, former transport minister Razvan Cuc anticipated that about 90 km of highway would be put into use in 2017.

In March, the National Highways Company (CNAIR) took in reception the first 15.4 km completed this year, on the second segment of the Lugoj-Deva highway. This was the first inauguration of a highway segment in Romania since December 2015, according to a CNAIR press release.

Then, in November, CNAIR took in reception another 8.4 km of the Brasov-Targu Mures-Cluj-Oradea highway, for the Gilau-Nadaselu segment, which is to be put into operation in 2018.

Of all the highway projects under construction at this time, the most advanced is the third segment of the Sebes-Turda highway, which has a length of 12.45 km, and which could be completed in January 2018. The same highway’s second and fourth segments could also be put into operation next year, according to CNAIR.

Work still needs to be done at the Lugoj-Deva highway, which is 73% completed, as well as at the three segments of the Brasov-Targu Mures-Cluj-Oradea highway, which have a total length of over 37 km.

CNAIR launched projects worth some EUR 4 billion in public auction this year, the most important being the project related to the Sibiu-Pitesti highway, which is estimated at EUR 3.3 billion.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com