The highway with tunnels in western Romania, half done. How many meters are left to excavate from the galleries
More than 500 workers were mobilized at the beginning of the year, on the construction site of the “highway with tunnels” in western Romania. The builders have passed the halfway point of the project and have made progress on the two tunnels whose galleries total more than 4.5 kilometers.
Work in the big tunnel. Photo: DRDP Timisoara
The works on the section of the A1 Margina – Holdea highway were not interrupted during the winter, being concentrated especially underground, where work is being done on the construction of the galleries, but also in the “cut & cover” areas (open excavation).
“The mobilization at the site is significant, with more than 550 workers and operators involved, and the activity is supported by approximately 200 machinery, vehicles and specialized equipment for tunnel work. The physical stage of the work is 52 percent”, sent the Timișoara Regional Directorate of Roads and Bridges (DRDP), which published images from the construction site.
The Great Tunnel, almost halfway through
According to DRDP Timișoara, at Tunnel 2, the longest on this sector, in the Holdea area, the execution is carried out both by underground excavation and by open excavation, depending on the technical solution adopted on each section.
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Highway with tunnels Photo DRDP Timișoara (28) jpg
“At the T2 gallery executed by the UMB contractor, with a total length of 1,985 meters, 660 meters have been excavated so far, part by the “cut & cover” method, and the rest by underground excavation. In the T2 gallery executed by the Euro Asfalt contractor, with a total length of 1,825 meters, 796 meters of excavation have been carried out, both underground and in the areas created from the surface”, he informed DRDP Timișoara.
At Tunnel 1, in the Margina area, the excavation works are completed on both galleries, and the construction site has entered the stage of building the resistance structure. Excavation, placement of fine shotcrete and foundations for the turned vault are complete.
“On the gallery executed by UMB, with a length of 415 meters, work is currently being done on the waterproofing and the realization of the first element of the final lining. In the case of the other gallery, executed by Euro Asfalt, with a length of 367.5 meters, the waterproofing is completed, and the work continues on the final lining”. informed DRDP Timișoara.
The highway, expected in 2026
The works continue on all open fronts, in difficult terrain and weather conditions, with the application of technical solutions appropriate to each stage of execution, the representatives of the institution added.
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Highway with tunnels Photo DRDP Timișoara (1) jpg
Until September 2026, the builders of the 9.5 kilometer “highway with tunnels” in western Romania have a deadline to complete the segment between Holdea and Margina, to which a four kilometer section is added (Section D, in the Margina area).
The works on the section shared between Hunedoara and Timiș counties started at the beginning of 2024, and on the difficult section, of 4.5 kilometers, in the fall of 2024. This section includes two tunnels, whose four galleries total 4.6 kilometers, and three passages, one of which exceeds one kilometer.
The Holdea – Margina highway segment, located on the border of Timiș and Hunedoara counties, will complete the missing link of the highways connecting the cities of Timișoara, Arad, Alba Iulia, Sibiu, Cluj-Napoca and Târgu Mureș.
