The construction of the first road bridge over the Prut River built in the last 35 years, connecting the Republic of Moldova to Romania, is set to begin this Saturday, April 26, in Ungheni. The bridge is part of the future A8 motorway that will connect Chişinău to Iaşi and Paşcani, and further on will cross the Carpathians to Târgu Mureș.
The bridge is set to measure over 260 meters and is valued at RON 33.6 million.
Two bridges will actually be constructed as part of the project, one for each direction.
“This bridge is the first one, the one in Ungheni should be completed in 18 months, so sometime in the second half of next year both bridges should be completed. But I also want to announce something: we have another four bridges at the design stage. Next year the design will be completed and, along with them, we will have five new bridges over the Prut, which is a good thing,” said Romanian transport minister Sorin Grindeanu on TikTok.
Earlier this week, state secretary at the Ministry of Transport, Ionel Scrioşteanu, said that work is progressing on the organization of the construction sites.
“The construction works will begin on April 26, 2025, marking an important moment for Romanians on both banks of the Prut, which we will mark by organizing a symbolic event in the town of Ungheni, Ungheni district, called the 'Flower Bridge Festival,’” he said. The festival will have a food court, music, and an air show provided by “The Hawks of Romania” air club.
The festival will mark the year 1990, when Romanians on both sides of the Prut released flowers onto its waters, forming a flower bridge as a sign of brotherhood. “The launch of the construction of this bridge in Ungheni represents the strengthening of fraternal relations between Romania and the Republic of Moldova,” said Scrioşteanu.
At the beginning of April, Romania issued the construction permit necessary for building the first motorway-level road bridge over the Prut, more than 60 years after the construction of the Flower Bridge. The Republic of Moldova also issued a similar permit.
(Photo source: Gabriel Petrescu | Dreamstime.com)
