A2 motorway (Romania)

A2 motorway
Autostrada A2
Route information
Maintained by Compania Națională de Autostrăzi și Drumuri Naționale din România
Length:	206 km[1][2] (128 mi)
Major junctions
From:	Bucharest
To:	Constanța (Junction with A4)
Location
Counties:	Ilfov, Călărași, Ialomița, Constanța
Major cities:	Bucharest, Fetești, Cernavodă, Medgidia, Constanța
Highway system
Motorways in Romania

Oldest section of the motorway, Cernavodă bridges system (over Danube) inaugurated in 1987

A2 motorway

A2 motorway runs parallel with CFR Line 800 for many kilometers

A2 motorway between Medgidia and Constanța

The A2 motorway (Romanian: Autostrada A2), also known as The Sun Motorway (Romanian: Autostrada Soarelui), is a motorway in Romania which links Bucharest with Constanța, a city-port on the shore of the Black Sea, where it merges after an interchange into the A4 motorway.^[3] It is 206 km long,^[1][2] and has been operational on its entire length since November 2012.

History

The construction of the motorway between Bucharest and Constanța began in the communist era during Nicolae Ceaușescu's regime. The first section, from Fetești to Cernavodă (about 18 km), was opened in 1987 and underwent a major rehabilitation in 2003. It crosses the Balta Ialomiței island and includes the Cernavodă Bridge complex system of motorway and railway bridges and viaducts over the Danube and one of its branches at Cernavodă. The motorway bridge passes under the historical railway bridge built by Anghel Saligny in 1896, while the new railway in use today separates the motorway roadways.

After the fall of the communism in 1989, construction continued for a short period, but it was finally stopped in 1993 due to lack of financial resources. Construction continued after 1998, the motorway being completed in late 2012.

The sector from Bucharest to Fetești crosses the Bărăgan Plain and was built between 2001 and 2007. It was split into four sections. The first section from Bucharest to Fundulea (26.5 km) was built by the Romanian company Romis and is surfaced with concrete slabs. The second section from Fundulea to Lehliu (29.2 km) was built by a Turkish joint venture between Yuksel, Makimsar and Ener, while the third section from Lehliu to Drajna (41.6 km) was built by the French company Colas. The three sections were completed in 2004.^[4] The fourth, from Drajna to Fetești (36.8 km), was built by a joint venture between Astaldi, Max Bögl and CCCF, and was completed in 2007, receiving financial support from the ISPA funds.^[5]

The sector from Cernavodă to Constanța (51.3 km) runs across the Dobrogea Plateau and was built between 2009 and 2012, receiving financial resources from the European Union's Cohesion Fund and from the European Investment Bank. It was built by a joint venture between Astaldi and Max Bögl, and was completed in late 2012.^[6] The section from Cernavodă to Medgidia was initially awarded to the French company Colas, but the contract was terminated in April 2011, because of delays in the construction process.^[7] It was subsequently awarded to the new constructor in September 2011.^[8]

The total distance between Bucharest and Constanța on the motorway is approximately 206 km.^[1][2] It includes a 3.8 km link segment at the eastern end,^[9][10] that was part of the construction contract for the A4 motorway,^[11] which serves as the Constanța bypass. It has seven exits and ten rest areas on each carriageway, five being served by filling stations. There is one toll gate along the route, at Fetești (km 144), where a tax is charged for crossing the Danube bridges.^[12][13]

During summer, heavy traffic (maximum permissible weight over 7.5 t) is forbidden to drive on the motorway on weekends (including Friday) at daylight hours (from 6 A.M. to 12 A.M.).^[14]

It is planned that the motorway will be prolonged to the Bulgarian border, after the European Union accepted in November 2010 to include the segment from Constanța to Vama Veche into the planned Trans-European Network.^[15]

Openings timeline

• In October 1987, the 17.2 km segment Fetești – Cernavodă was opened for traffic. The segment was closed for traffic again in September 2006 for complete rebuilding and reopened in 2007.
• On 4 June 2004, two segments opened for traffic: Bucharest – Fundulea (26.5 km) and Fundulea – Lehliu (29.2 km).
• In November 2004, the 42 km segment Lehliu – Drajna was opened for traffic.
• In June 2006, the 17.2 km segment Fetești – Cernavodă was re-opened for traffic, after major rehabilitation works.
• Between 1 July and 15 September 2006, the 36.8 km segment Drajna – Fetești temporarily opened for traffic in both ways but only on one carriageway.
• On 1 May 2007, the 36.8 km segment Drajna – Fetești was re-opened for traffic.
• On 29 July 2011, the Murfatlar – Constanța segment (21 km, including a part of A4) was inaugurated (initially, on two of the total four lanes).^[16]
• On 30 September 2011, the Murfatlar – Constanța segment was completed and opened on both carriageways.^[17]
• On 19 July 2012, the Cernavodă – Medgidia segment (20.5 km) was opened for traffic on a single carriageway, and the Medgidia – Murfatlar segment (16.3 km) was opened on both carriageways.^[18]
• On 29 November 2012, the Cernavodă – Medgidia segment (20.5 km) was opened for traffic on both carriageways.^[19]

Exit list

Exits and buildings (Eastbound)
Bucharest – Constanța (206 km)
	km 11	Theodor Pallady Blvd, Bucharest
	km 12	Bucharest Ring Road		opened 2004
	km 18	Cernica / Bălăceanca	DJ301	opened 2015
	km 35	Fundulea		opened 2004
	km 48	OMV
	km 64	Lehliu Gară		opened 2004
	km 66	Petrom
	km 74	Parking
	km 88	Litro
	km 98	Parking
	km 105	Drajna / Slobozia, Călărași		opened 2007
	km 111	OMV
	km 120	Parking
	km 131	Parking
	km 139	Litro
	km 142	Fetești		opened 1987, rebuilt 2007
	km 144	Toll gate		opened 1987
	km 145	Fetești Bridge (over Borcea branch of the Danube)		opened 1987
	km 146	U-turn exit
	km 157	U-turn exit		eastbound only
	km 158	Cernavodă Bridge (over Danube)		opened 1987
	km 160	Cernavodă		opened 1987, rebuilt 2012 as exit
	km 192	Medgidia / Murfatlar, Ostrov		opened 2012
	km 196	Parking		opened 2012
	km 203	Danube–Black Sea Canal		opened 2011
	km 205	Parking		opened 2012
	km 212	Mangalia, Constanța South / Tulcea, Constanța West		opened 2011

See also

• Roads in Romania
• Transport in Romania
• Cernavodă Bridge

References

1. "Licitatie deschisa servicii pentru asigurarea pazei patrimoniului Autostrazii A2 Bucuresti - Cernavoda" (PDF). CNADNR. 13 September 2007. Bucuresti – Cernavoda: km 9+500 – km 160+980
2. "Asigurare paza patrimoniu prin patrulare si posturi fixe pe autostrada A2 Cernavoda - Constanta" (PDF). CNADNR. 28 December 2012. Cernavoda – Constanta: km 160+980 – km 215+950
3. "Descriere proiect". Proiectarea şi Construcţia Autostrăzii Cernavodă – Medgidia. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
4. "Constructie autostrazi - Coridorul IV Nădlac - Constanţa - Autostrada Bucureşti - Constanţa". CNADNR. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
5. "Construcţia şi reabilitarea secţiunilor 4 şi 5 din autostrada Bucureşti-Constanţa". CNADNR. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
6. "Constructia autostrazii Cernavoda – Constanta". CNADNR. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
7. "CNADNR a lasat tronsonul de autostrada Cernavoda-Medgidia fara constructor". Hotnews. 11 April 2011.
8. "CNADNR a semnat cu Astaldi contractul pentru realizarea tronsonului Cernavoda- Medgidia". Hotnews. 21 September 2011.
9. "Notă de fundamentare" (PDF). CNADNR. 10 July 2012.
10. "Notă de fundamentare" (PDF). CNADNR. 29 May 2013.
11. "Incadrare in zona a obiectivului". Constructia variantei de ocolire a Municipiului Constanta. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
12. "Benzinarii Autostrada A2 (Soarelui)". Gazonline.ro. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
13. "Autostradă A2 - Autostradă Soarelui". Motorways-exitlists.com. 10 October 2011.
14. "Driving restrictions Romania 2012". UNTRR.ro. 11 January 2012.
15. "Motorway link between Bucharest and Constanta prolonged up to Varna". Rol.ro. 30 November 2010.
16. "Traseul tronsonului din Autostrada Soarelui care ocoleste Constanta spre Mangalia". Hotnews.ro. 28 July 2011.
17. "Vineri s-a inaugurat pentru a doua oara acelasi tronson din Autostrada Soarelui". Hotnews.ro. 30 September 2011.
18. "Autostrada Soarelui (A2), deschisa in intregime de la Bucuresti si pana la Constanta". Hotnews.ro. 19 July 2012.
19. "Joi s-a deschis traficul pe ambele cai de pe tronsonul Cernavoda - Medgidia". Hotnews.ro. 29 November 2012.

External links

• București – Cernavodă (youtube video)
• Cernavodă – Constanța (youtube video)
• Motorways in Romania 2014–2020 (PPT file)
• CNADNR – Autostrada București - Constanța