Construction of Bucharest"s suspended highway to begin this year

The construction of the first segment of the suspended highway will begin this year, the mayor of Bucharest, Sorin Oprescu announced yesterday. The segment in question has over 7.5 km in length and will be built on pillars in the Northern area of Bucharest, with the following route: the junction with the future Bucharest - Braşov highway, the Petricani and Pipera highways, Avionului street and Aerogării boulevard.

Mr. Oprescu also said the following yesterday in a press conference: "There will be no need for expropriations for this route, as it is parallel to the railroad tracks. The project is compliant with all of the construction norms imposed by the Romanian Railway Company (CFR) for protecting railroad traffic. I will initiate this project this year, either by means of a public-private partnership, or by resorting to bank financing or European funds". The suspended highway will cross Bucharest towards the West, and will join the Bucharest - Piteşti highway, through Elena Văcărescu, DN1, Poligrafiei, Calea Griviţei, Calea Giuleşti and the Ciurel lake.

The priorities for 2010 of the mayoralty of Bucharest are to complete the Buzeşti - Berzei - Uranus diametric highway, the passageway in the Doamna Ghica, Colentina Bd. area, the connecting streets between Doamna Ghica - Chişinău and the A1 highway and Ciurel, as well as the underground passageway in the Piaţa Presei Libere location. Other plans include the completion of the Basarab passage and of Avionului street, of the 1 Mai (formerly Compozitorilor) connecting street, as well as the modernization of the streetcar lines on Iancului, Pantelimon, Aerogării and Liviu Rebreanu streets. Most of the abovementioned works will begin this year.

The purpose of these arteries is to complete the main traffic ring ( the Basarab Passage) as well as streamlining traffic in the Gara de Nord area as well as a quicker connection between the Western, Central and Northern areas of Bucharest. The Doamna Ghica passageway and the Doamna Ghica - Chişinău artery, with the Nicolae Grigorescu - Splai Dudescu connecting street, and the expansion towards Şoseaua Olteniţei are all intended to streamline incoming Bucharest traffic and the A3 highway (Bucharest - Braşov) and its connections to all the neighborhoods in Eastern and Southern Bucharest.

In order to reduce traffic congestion on existing traffic arteries, work has begun for adding three new lanes to the Pipera highway, with an aerial passageway across the Barbu Văcărescu Boulevard and Calea Floreasca. Work has also begun on the feasibility studies for the awarding of the contracts for the expansion of the Dimitrie Pompei and Fabrica de Glucoză arteries.