U.S. Bechtel Finished Building The Biggest Viaduct On Transylvania Highway

The one kilometer-long viaduct is 23 meters high and is placed on the Aries River, western Romania. The construction of the viaduct began in 2007, but works were delayed on lack of funds, Bechtel said in a press release Monday.

Bechtel said that 43 road structures, including a viaduct at Suplacu de Barcau, Bihor county, western Romania, will be built on the 3C segment of the Transylvania Highway. Works will be resumed in another four locations on the 3C segment.

The construction of the highway, linking the central Romanian city of Brasov to Bors on the western border with Hungary, started in 2004 based on a EUR2.2 billion contract awarded to Bechtel. Works were halted mid-2005, when authorities started looking into contracts awarded during the previous administration, which caused a one-year setback in construction works.

Under an agreement concluded in February by Bechtel and the Romanian Transports Ministry, the U.S. constructor is set to complete 42 kilometers of the highway this year and the Transports Ministry will  pay EUR420 million.

The entire highway is due for completion in 2013.