MCA Moldova signs contracts for Sarateni-Soroca road rehabilitation

The Millennium Challenge Account Moldova (MCA Moldova) signed four contracts to the total amount of $92.7 million for the rehabilitation of a 93km-long Sarateni-Soroca road under the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Compact, the MCA said in a press release. MCA Moldova Executive Director Valentina Badrajan stated that, with the contracts signed, the contractors are expected to mobilize their teams, machines and equipment to kick off the rehabilitation works. The duration of the works as specified in the contracts is 24 months, plus 12 months for defect notification. These contracts provide for the full rehabilitation of the road system, road corrections, improvement and rearrangement of junctions with national and local roads, arrangement of bust stops and pedestrian crossings, provision of lighting along the road that crosses 13 villages, construction of local roads to facilitate access from the national road to social facilities (like schools, kindergartens, hospitals) etc. Leslie McCuaig, MCC Country Director for Moldova, noted that the Sarateni-Soroca road was selected for rehabilitation following an analysis of constraints faced by Moldova in its economic development and based on the provisions of the Strategy for Road Transport Infrastructure. Moldovan Transport and Roads Minister Anatol Salaru stated that the Sarateni-Soroca road would be a gold standard for road quality and safety and a model of European roads in Moldova. The total costs for Sarateni-Soroca road rehabilitation and construction supervision are about $99 million. The Sarateni-Soroca road segment is part of the national M2 Road, which connects the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. At present, it is in very poor condition with about 60 percent of the road requiring full rehabilitation. The rehabilitation of this road segment is the objective of the MCC Compact's Road Rehabilitation Project.