When we can travel on the Union Highway. The stage of works on the sites of Moldova and Transylvania

Partially in the site, the Unirii Highway will cross the Eastern Carpathians, linking the historical regions of Transylvania and Moldova and continuing to the Prut River, where a highway bridge will connect it with the road network in the Republic of Moldova.

Site on the Unirii Highway. Photo: Pro Infrastructure Association. Facebook

The Unirii Highway (A8) Târgu Mureș – Iași – Ungheni, with a length of over 300 kilometers, has been planned for more than a decade, and the law on its construction was adopted in 2018.

“The Unirii Highway starts on the border of Romania with the Republic of Moldova, through a new bridge over the Prut River, and ends with a connection with the A3 Brașov-Borș highway, near the city of Târgu Mureș. The Unirii Highway comprises two main sections: Târgu Mureș-Târgu Neamț-Neamț Highway- showed the initial text of the law.

However, in the seven years since the adoption of the Law on the construction of the Union Highway, none of the five sections in which its route was divided has been completed.

Three sections are located in the site and could be inaugurated in 2026: Târgu Mureș – Miercurea Nirajului (25 kilometers), Leghin – Târgu Neamț (30 kilometers) and the bridge over Prut in Ungheni (one kilometer).

Mobilization on the first section of the Union Highway

On the section Târgu Mureș – Miercurea Nirajului, the works have recently started and have the term of completion 2026.

Highway site. Source: Pro Infrastructure Association. Facebook

“The Turkish builder Nurol is already mobilized for the execution phase of the works on the Târgu Mureș section – Miercurea Nirajului, with over 300 workers and more than 180 machines”, Inform in May Cristian Pistol, the general manager of the National Road Infrastructure Management Company (CNAIR).

On the route of this highway batch will be made a connection road with A3 (on highway profile), 2.4 kilometers long, a road knot that will ensure the connection with A3 (Transilvania Highway) and with the municipality of Târgu Mureș, a road node that allows access to DN13, a road knot that will provide access to DJ151D Ecoducts, a maintenance and control center (CIC) and two parking lots.

The Pro Infrastructure Association, which monitors the large infrastructure projects in Romania, showed that the pace of execution of the works is slow.

“The only ray of hope is the presence on the lot of numerous drills, a sign that after the execution of the pilots of the foundations the ones from Nurol could accelerate the work on the structures, bringing some forces and on the A7 highway near Buzău, which probably inaugurates in November. Instead, we are worried about the almost non -existent movement in the chapter.”inform API, on the Facebook page.

Works on both banks of Prut, at the Ungheni Bridge

The works on the Bridge Assembly from Ungheni started on April 26, following this bridge over the Prut River to connect Moldova and the future A8 highway, Târgu Neamț – Lețcani – Ungheni sector. The execution time of the project is 18 months.

The Regional Directorate of Roads and Bridges Iasi informs, on June 16, that it is currently drilled on both banks of the Prut.

The bridge over the Prut in the site. Photo DRDP Iași Official Facebook

“The builder is mobilized on both the Romanian and the Moldovan shore of the river that separates Romania from the Republic of Moldova, with works such as the reception of the reinforcement carcasses, the drilling and concrete of the drilled pilots on the Romanian shore, and on the Moldovan shore, the drilling and concrete of the pilots drilled to the C2 Artificially on the Prut. DRDP Iasi informed.

From Târgu Mureș to Sovata, on the Unirii Highway

The works on the section Leghin – Târgu Neamț, about 30 kilometers, started earlier this year. On the route will be built 24 bridges and passages, two viaducts, two service spaces, one parking, a maintenance and coordination center and two road nodes at DN15B and DN15C.

The sections Miercurea Nirajului – Leghin (161 kilometers) and Târgu Neamț – Iași – Ungheni (89 kilometers) were divided into several lots. Some of these are in the public auction stage, and for others the contracts have been signed or are in the design phase.

Until 2027, one of the recently signed contracts, the Miercurea Nirajului section – Sărățeni, 24 kilometers, could be completed, and with its opening and the Târgu Mureș – Miercurea Nirajului lot, the drivers will be able to travel from Târgu Mureș to the vicinity of the Sovata resort.

Other sections have an estimated completion term in 2029 – 2030.

The mountain highway enters the design

Part of the Miercurea Nirajului section – Leghin, Lot 2A Ditrău – Grinţieș of the Union Highway, with a length of 38 kilometers, will represent the largest challenge for builders, according to the National Road Investment Company (CNIR), which manages the project on this lot.

Travel sketch at Ditrău – Grinţieș lot. Photo: CNIR

On June 15, 2025, the institution issued the start order for the design and execution contract of the 2A lot and established that the start date of June 30, from which the contractual duration of 54 months will be calculated.

“The association is in front of a technical challenge, the 2A Ditrău -Grinţieș lot being one of the most difficult highway lots in Romania. It is a project of high technical complexity, because it includes major works (bridges, passages, viaducts) and considerable volumes of excavation and consolidation works. It represents 57 percent of the length of the whole lot will be 19 tunnels and 63 bridges and viaducts ”, CNIR informed.

On the route of the 2A lot there is a road knot in Ditrău (Harghita county), and in Neamț county, a connection with the 2B Grinţieș -Pipirig and a provisional download to ensure the independent functioning of this lot. The financing of the works is provided from non -reimbursable European funds, through the transport program 2021-2027, and from the state budget, CNIR completes.

The Unirii Highway will cross the Eastern Carpathians, through the Gurghiu, Giurgeu, Hășmaș and Tarcău mountains. This will connect the two historical regions of Romania, crossing the counties of Mureș, Harghita, Neamț, Iași, Vaslui and, on a small portion, Botosani. In Ungheni, in the Republic of Moldova, it will connect with the infrastructure network in the neighboring state. The estimate for the full opening of the highway is the year 2030.