The Union Highway Târgu Mureș - Iasi - Ungheni, on the territory of Romania, and Ungheni - Chisinau, on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, will interconnect the road infrastructure in the two countries. From Târgu Mureș to Ungheni, the Union Highway will have a length of 304 kilometers and will ensure the connection with the Republic of Moldova through the new bridge over the Prut in Ungheni. A tender contest for the design and execution of the highway has already been launched. The experts invited to IPN’s public debate “Union Highway, interconnection of road infrastructure in Romania and the Republic of Moldova” discussed the construction of the new bridge over the Prut River in Ungheni, as part of the A8 Highway project, and the improvement of transport links between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova.

Irinel Ionel Scriosteanu, secretary of state of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Romania, said that the works to build the Union Highway are complex. They are not cheap, but are quite expensive, the total costs being estimated at about 60 billion lei. “From Târgu Mureș - Târgu Neamț - Iasi - Ungheni - the 304 kilometers that we have to build represent works in the mountain area as well, which are quite complex, quite difficult. But Romania is determined to achieve this connection across the Moldovan Carpathians,” said the Romanian official.

He noted that the Ungheni bridge - the bridge over the Prut that is at highway level – represents the last part of the Union Highway. The winner of the tender contest was announced 12 days ago and there are no appeals so far. The road company is to ask for the documents from the winner and to initiate the signing of the contract for the design and execution of the Ungheni bridge, which also includes a customs post on the Romanian side.

“I was in Ungheni a month ago, on the side of Ungheni district, and I met with the local authorities because we set up a joint commission for the implementation of this project. We are ready, as soon as we sign the contract, to go to the site and start the design works so that in 2026 we have this bridge put into operation at highway level, plus the connections with local roads, and it can be used until we complete the A8 Highway on our side, as we described above, while on the side of the Republic of Moldova - the connection with a fast road to Chisinau,” stated Irinel Ionel Scriosteanu.

Nicolai Mîndra, secretary of state of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova, said that the Union Highway, from Ungheni to Chisinau and to Odesa, is a highway that is very much awaited by the citizens. This corridor is very important for transit goods for the Republic of Moldova and for the transport of domestic goods. “So, this high-category road will connect Ukraine and Romania through the Republic of Moldova. At this moment, we are in the process of carrying out the pre-feasibility and feasibility study,” noted the official.

According to Nicolai Mândra, these works are executed with the support provided by the European Commission. The Republic of Moldova benefits from a grant for pre-feasibility and feasibility documentation. As a result, the bidding procedure for these works will be launched. “By the end of the year, we start tender contests for the works to extend the existing road, of 1 kilometer of existing road, from the Leuseni customs post. We will extend it to four lanes. At the same time, this project provides for the rehabilitation of customs facilities at the border crossing point. The second part of this project is the first sector of the Ungheni highway. Here we are talking about the access road that will temporarily ensure connection with the R1 road, which we know as the bypass road of the city of Ungheni. That is, the first part of the highway will connect this existing road with the bridge that will be built by our counterparts from Romania,” said the secretary of state.

“The deadlines for the execution of works will be identical to those for our Romanian colleagues. When the bridge over the Prut River in Ungheni, at the level of a four-lane highway, will be built, the Republic of Moldova will also build the access road to this bridge so that it is functional until the part that remains from this access road to Odessa is built.”

Iurie Calestru, program director at the Institute for Development and Expertise of Projects (IDEP-Moldova), said that such projects represent steps in the synchronization of plans between the two banks of the Prut. And the fact that it is a highway that leads to certain important regions from all points of view – historical, economic, political – boosts the de facto implementation of the project.

“Why do we link the subject of connectivity - because it does not go to the highway itself, but to connectivity, to European integration. However, we cannot do only economic reforms, only reforms in terms of the other aspects. But we should not think about connectivity. When we have an infrastructure object of such a level, which is, if you want, our road to the European Union, we will really be able to integrate into the European Union because when the European citizen will not feel the difference between the infrastructure of the European Union and that of the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Moldova will be in the European Union. The road to the European Union also means connectivity improved through modern infrastructure,” stated Iurie Calestru.

The public debate entitled “Union Highway, interconnection of road infrastructure in Romania and the Republic of Moldova” was the 18th installment of the project “Double integration through cooperation and information. Continuity”, which is funded by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova of the Government of Romania. The content of this debate does not represent the official position of the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova.