The Sibiu–Brașov–Bacău Motorway (Romanian: Autostrada Sibiu–Brașov–Bacău) is a planned motorway in the central part of Romania, designed to connect Sibiu and Bacău counties, via Brașov.[1] The project is currently regarded as composed of three sections Boița – Făgăraș, Făgăraș – Brașov (also part of the A3 motorway), and Brașov – Răcăciuni, planned to be 282 kilometres (175 mi) long.[1]
From Boița (junction with A1), it will follow the Olt River valley before running through Avrig, Cârțișoara, Voila to a junction with A3 east of Făgăraș, with which it intersects until west of Brașov, where there's another junction with A3. The Făgăraș – Brașov section will be shared with A3 motorway.
This 120 km (75 mi) long section was initially planned as an expressway as an alternative to the National Road 1 (DN1) between Sibiu and Făgăraș at 72.57 kilometres (45.09 mi) long and with an estimated cost of 614 mil. €.[2] In 2013, the Romanian government has reportedly changed the plans in order to provide the connection from Sibiu to Bucharest alternative to A1 via Pitești as part of the Trans European Transport Network,[3] thus implementing it as a motorway rather than expressway.[4][5]
The feasibility study and the technical project for the Boița – Făgăraș section (68.05 km (42.28 mi)) were approved in December 2021 and January 2022, respectively.[6] The total value of the investment was estimated at 7.5 billion RON.[6]
On 5 May 2023, the auction of the lot 4 (16.26 km (10.10 mi)) of the Boița - Făgăraș section of the motorway was won by the Turkish association Makyol - Yapi. The total term length is 48 months, (12 months for the project stage and 36 months for the execution stage).[7]
On 20 September 2023, the contract for the design and execution of the lot 3 (17.61 km (10.94 mi)) was signed with the same association Makyol - Yapi.[8]
This 162 km (101 mi) long section is also the most difficult section to build, as it crosses the Carpathians, with an estimated construction cost of over €2 billion.[11] The contract for the feasibility study and the technical project of this section of the motorway was signed in May 2020,[12] but the inability of Search Corporation (with whom the contract was signed) to cover the costs of geotechnical studies resulted in a termination of the contract in June 2022.[13]
A 1 near Boița
A 3 near Făgăraș
A 7 near Răcăciuni
