Romania, the country of highways, in theory: how many kilometers do we have in 2022, but in 2023

The Romanian authorities are the most inefficient in Europe when it comes to highway construction. In 30 years we have had a lot of promises related to infrastructure projects, and in 2022, we have new promises.

The non-governmental organization Pro Infrastructure has published the latest estimates of ongoing infrastructure projects. In other words, it helped us to form an opinion about the kilometers of highways and express roads that would be put into circulation by the end of 2022, but also in 2023, next year. In theory, as in previous years, the outlook is optimistic. In practice, it remains to be seen.

Romanian highways, more and more, on paper

By 2022, by the end of the year, more than 80 kilometers of new highways and expressways should be put into service. Projections for 2023 are even more optimistic, about 140 kilometers put into use by December 31, next year. The full list of ongoing projects with the chances of materialization until the deadline can be seen below:

• MAXIMUM chances of opening are on DEx12 Craiova-PiteștiTronsonul 2 (Balș Vest-Slatina Est), 39.85 kilometers, the first real expressway in our country, in spring, at the latest June, and on A1 Sibiu-Pitești Section 1 (Sibiu -Boița), 13.17 km, somewhere towards the end of the year, before the contractual term (April 2023).
• GOOD chances of inauguration, in December, are at the suspension bridge over the Danube from Brăila, but only the southern connection (Macin), the northern one (Jijila) remaining for 2023. The hardship is not over yet, it is a lot of work but with a sustained effort, we can circulate this year.
• Chances are 50/50 on A0 Sud (Bucharest Ring Road), lot 2, partially, approximately 10 km between nodes with DN5 and DN6, in December, if the entrepreneurs and CNAIR manage to agree and mobilize accordingly.
• We have (VERY) LITTLE chances of inauguration on DEx12 Craiova-Pitești Section 1 (Craiova-Balş Vest), 17.7 km, where the builder still fails to accelerate the pace and risks to leave the contractual term.

In theory, API also draws attention to three projects on DNCB, the old ring road of the Capital, at the Domnești passage and the Berceni and Oltenița road junctions. Those could also be completed in 2022. For 2023, we have the following projects:

• A3 Nădășelu-Zimbor (30.06 km),
• Nușfalău-Suplacu de Barcău (13.55 km),
• A0 South all 3 lots (51.20 km), maybe something on A0 North,
• DEx12 Slatina-Colonești (31.75 km) and Craiova-Balș if postponed for next year,
• but also the A3 Chețani-Câmpia Turzii (15.7 km, if it will be contracted in 2022).

“We will see the reality on December 31st. Good luck to the builders and the authorities! And, who knows, maybe we’ll have a surprise or two. Pleasant, because we are tired of unpleasant and we know that they will come as every year “, conclude the API representatives.