First tunnel built on a highway in Romania nears completion

Most of the excavation for the first tunnel built on a highway in Romania has been completed, and traffic could potentially be opened by the end of this year between Tigveni and Bucharest, a section of the Sibiu-Pitești highway.

Romanian state officials noted construction work at Section 4 (Tigveni - Curtea de Argeș) of the Sibiu-Pitești highway had reached 60%, despite the contractual deadline being 2027.

“The first tunnel excavated on a highway in Romania is almost complete! The Austrian contractor is very well mobilized on the 9.86 km of Section 4 (Tigveni - Curtea de Argeș) of the Sibiu-Pitești highway, which includes the construction of a tunnel over 1,300 meters long,” transport minister Sorin Grindeanu said on Facebook.

Excavation works for the Sibiu-Pitești direction have reached 1,193 meters, while the gallery for the Pitești-Sibiu direction has reached 1,026 meters.

“If this pace is maintained, there is a high chance that by the end of this year, traffic will be open on the highway from Pitești to Bucharest, covering over 140 km (following the completion of works on the remaining 14.65 km of Section 5, between Băiculești and Curtea de Argeș),” Grindeanu added.

General Director of CNAIR, Cristian Pistol, said that Porr Construct, the builder of the section, has progressed well. “There is a real chance that by the end of 2025, we will be able to travel in highway conditions between Tigveni and Bucharest, covering over 140 km,” he stated.

Pistol explained that the work on the remaining 14.65 km of Section 5 (Pitești - Curtea de Argeș) also needs to be completed, following the opening of 15.7 km to traffic last year.

In December of last year, authorities opened 16 km of Section 5 of the Sibiu–Pitești Highway 8 months in advance. Traffic is also open on Section 1 of this highway, between Sibiu and Boița, over a distance of 13.17 kilometers. The remaining sections - 2,3, and 4 - are scheduled to open by 2028.

(Photo source: screenshot from Sorin Grindeanu's Facebook video)