Romania races to complete major Transylvania Highway viaducts by 2026

Construction on two significant viaducts along Romania's Transylvania Highway (A3), located at Nădășelu and Topa Mică, is rapidly progressing towards completion. These impressive structures are poised to add 43 kilometers to the highway, connecting Cluj-Napoca and Oradea, a vital artery in the country's infrastructure development.

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The highway section includes several viaducts, with a total length of over three kilometers and heights of up to 50 meters, over five million cubic meters of excavation, approximately four kilometers of retaining walls, and numerous consolidation works, intended to stabilize the hills and ensure the long-term durability of the highway.

The Nădășelu viaduct, spanning 1.2 kilometers, and the Topa Mică viaduct, extending two kilometers, represent substantial engineering feats. The Nădășelu structure is being built using the cantilever method, while the Topa Mică section involves extensive work on beams and concrete slabs. Despite facing challenges such as ground instability and landslides, which have required remediation efforts, the project is nearing its final stages.

According to Horațiu Cosma, secretary of state in the Ministry of Transport, the first segment of the highway between Zimbor and Poarta Sălajului, covering 12.24 kilometers, is slated for opening in July. This section includes multiple viaducts totaling over three kilometers and requires significant excavation and stabilization work. The Romanian constructor UMB is finalizing road connections and addressing the last remaining landslide issue.

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Remediation and consolidation works are being finalized on the last significant landslide, and in other points, solutions such as drains, retaining walls, stone on slopes, and gabions are being applied.

The completion of the Nădășelu-Zimbor segment, approximately 30 kilometers, will further enhance connectivity. While the Zimbor-Poarta Sălajului section will offer minor time savings, the full opening of the highway stretch is expected by 2026, promising a smoother and faster journey for travelers in northwestern Romania.

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At Topa Mică, with a length of two kilometers, the Ozaltin–Ilgaz–Visio Construct association still has to install 16 of the 400 beams, while the casting of the overlay slab has reached a stage of 20 percent. At Nădășelu, the 1.2-kilometer viaduct still requires the installation of 48 of the 192 beams, and the box structure in co