Works at Arad - Timisoara highway to start this year

ARAD – The National Company for Highways and National Roads of Romania (CNADNR) starts this year the construction works at Arad - Timisoara highway.

According to Arad Mayor, Gheorghe Falca, cited by “Romania Libera” daily newspaper, the name of the consortium to be in charge with performing the works at Arad - Timisoara highway and the works at the city surrounding belt should be known, most likely, this summer.

The project, worth EUR 270 M, will be financed by the European Bank for Investments (EBI) and Government of Romania and its completion deadline is November 2009.

The highway segment will have a length of 31.6 km, and the belt is 12.2 km long.

As of others, 2007 means also the start of the leasing process in relation to highways. Ministry of Transports, Constructions and Tourism (MTCT) intends to provide on lease, until this June, the administration of the two highways in Romania to private companies, for 5 to 20 years, the costs being covered from highway fares or from other sources. The duration that each contract is awarded for depends on the specific aspects of each segment. In this respect, authorities are inclined to extend the leasing time as much as possible.

“Minister of Transports, Radu Berceanu, asked National Company for Highways and National Roads of Romania (CNADNR) to complete the task book by April, so that companies to be responsible for maintaining Bucharest – Pitesti and Bucharest – Constanta would be decided, following calls for bids, until May”, according to MTCT Communication Director, Adrian Ionescu.

The cost funding modality incurred by maintenance has not yet been decided, among the options considered being charging a fare for the highway. Also, funds may be disbursed from the budget or from the fares paid for the use of national roads.

In order to participate in the calls for bids foreseen for early May at the latest, companies must prove both financial and technical expertise related to road maintenance, according to Ionescu. The two highways have a cumulated length of 250 km.

In addition, until the end of the year, a decision should be made as the provision of lease in case of national roads.

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