Even though on some sections of the Bucharest – Constanta highway asphalt has not yet been poured, Romania's Transport Minister Ovidiu Silaghi announced the new inauguration date for the highway as July 20. This follows shortly after a delay until August 1 was announced. The previous deadline for the beginning of July was in itself a delay.

On July 20 the highway, also called the Sun Highway, will not be usable as a highway in the strict sense: between Medgidia and Cernavoda only two lanes, one each way, will be functional, and a maximum speed of 80 km per hour will be allowed.

Former Transport Ministers Anca Boagiu and Alexandru Nazare had previously announced that the Bucharest – Constanta highway would be finalized on June 30 and that the road between Constanta and Medgidia would only have two lanes in a first stage. The constructor of the highway, the consortium Astaldi - Max Boegl is supposed to deliver the Constanta – Medgidia segment at the beginning of 2013.

“We are happy with how the constructor works, we have to thank them for delivering two lanes in advance even though their obligation was to deliver the full segment in January 2013,” the Transport Minister explained.

The state owes the consortium that works on the highway some EUR 60.6 million, the Minister also said.

The Bucharest – Constanta highway has been built in stages over the last five years. The Bucharest – Cernavoda highway segment, of some 151 km, was finalized in 2007. A 21-km section of the Sun Highway (Autostrada Soarelui- A2) to Mangalia, which bypasses the city of Constanta, was opened in late July last year.

The Cernavoda – Medgidia part will cost some EUR 111 million, the Medgidia – Constanţa section, some EUR 134 million and the Constanta bypass, some EUR 98 million.

Romania canceled the contract it had with French company Colas last year and signed a new one with Astaldi - Max Boegl, which started work in October.

Corina Chirileasa, corina@romania-insider.com