King's Road: New Mountain Highway Under Construction in Romania's Zarand Mountains

A new mountain road, christened 'King's Road,' is taking shape in western Romania, promising to connect the Mureș and Criș valleys through the Zarand Mountains. The 17-kilometer route, spanning Arad and Hunedoara counties, is being constructed with significant European funding, with a projected completion date of 2027.

The project is divided into two segments. The first, approximately four kilometers long, ascends via serpentine roads from Petriș in Arad county to 'Cota Zero' in the Săvârșin Mountains, marking the border between the two counties at an altitude of about 700 meters. Construction on this section began in 2025, focusing on building concrete retaining walls to prevent landslides and widening a former forest road to two lanes.

“

The works on the section in Hunedoara county involve the reconstruction of the road structure over the 13 kilometers, the arrangement of 16 intersections with side roads, the creation of rainwater drainage systems, repairs to the four bridges, the construction of 23 protection walls, and the arrangement of 29 accesses to properties.

The second segment, stretching 13 kilometers, descends through forests along the Băișoara and Vața rivers, leading to the Vața Băi spa resort. Work on this part commenced in spring of the current year, with ongoing efforts in roadbed preparation and retaining wall construction. This section passes through Căzănești, the birthplace of spiritual figure Arsenie Boca.

The name 'King's Road' stems from a legend suggesting its use by the Romanian royal family in the interwar period for travel between the Săvârșin Castle and the Vața de Sus spa. However, local accounts suggest the road, though once paved, was always difficult to traverse, primarily used by villagers for forest exploitation and mining access. Some locals express doubt that even royal vehicles could have navigated the route, recalling its challenging terrain.

“

Apart from the logging trucks, I don't think any car could have climbed this route, not even one belonging to the royal family.