On Wednesday, November 20th, an additional 32 kilometers of the A7 motorway, also known as the Moldovan Motorway, will open. This expansion includes two sections on the Buzău to Focșani route: between Buzău and Râmnicu Sărat, specifically the first and second sections (Buzău-Vadu Pașii and Vadu Pașii-Râmnicu Sărat). These join the 11 kilometers between Mândrești Munteni and Focșani that opened last week, announced Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu at a press conference held on Friday with the Minister of Transport, Sorin Grindeanu, after both conducted an inspection near Râmnicu Sărat. Sorin Grindeanu, Minister of Transport, emphasized that this investment is part of the government's strategy aiming at modernizing road infrastructure and fostering regional economic growth. "This is another significant step towards reducing the economic gap between the country's different historical regions. Currently, over 43 kilometers of the A7 motorway are available for travel, and by the end of the year, an additional 85.45 kilometers will be added. Overall, by the end of the year, we will open approximately 180 kilometers of new motorway and expressway, which is an important milestone in Romania's road infrastructure development." He added that by 2024, the entire A7 section will be completed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which includes 319 kilometers of motorway, as well as the Brăila – Galați expressway (10.76 km), funded by the Transport Program.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also emphasized the project's economic and regional importance, pointing out that completing the A7 motorway will bring significant advantages in terms of transportation efficiency and attracting investors. "As promised, we will fully open the section from Buzău to Râmnicu Sărat, and later this month, we can start traveling from Buzău to Focșani. Everything that the Transport Minister and I promised about opening a 130-kilometer section of the Moldovan motorway by the end of the year, as well as nearly 50 kilometers between Ploiești and Buzău, will be accomplished. The last section, which is still under debate, but we maintain the same momentum, and I want to commend the builder for completing it within the stipulated deadline, as these sections were originally planned for completion by the end of 2025 but have been finished much earlier," Ciolacu stated. Currently, approximately 800 kilometers of motorway and expressway are under construction in Romania. Sorin Grindeanu, Minister of Transport, highlighted the government's role in supporting the construction materials market, considering the future workforce needs for road infrastructure. Grindeanu drew attention to the challenges faced during construction projects due to massive material demands. "With such a vast amount of construction happening – currently almost 800 kilometers of motorway and expressway are under construction in Romania – it is inevitable that there is a need for enormous quantities of construction materials, whether building materials or metal structures. Local authorities' projects also require large amounts of construction materials," explained the minister. Regarding infrastructure development, the leadership of the transport ministry announced that by the end of 2024, around 130 kilometers of motorway will be opened along the Moldovan motorway line, which is a significant step forward in expanding Romania's motorway network.
