The Autostrada Transilvania Project is a four-lane, 415-kilometer highway, stretching northwest from Brasov in central Romania to Oradea on the country's border with Hungary. The motorway will connect the cities of Brasov, Fagaras, Sighisoara, Targu Mures, Cluj Napoca, and Oradea, skirting the Carpathian Mountains on a high plateau, some 1,000-meters above sea level.
This 2.2 billion construction project will be completed by 2013.

This Project will be an economic engine for Romania's development, not only in the construction phase but also for years into the future. Upon completion, it will form an important section of the Romanian national highway system, providing a vital connection with the rest of Europe. The construction of the motorway is particularly important for Romania's integration into the European economy, and will link the markets of Europe and Central Asia through the Black Sea port of Constanta. Both during its construction and on its completion planned for 2013, the motorway will bring important economic benefits to Romania thanks to the joining to the European Union on January, 1^st 2007.

Bechtel brings 112 years of experience in infrastructure construction, as well as state of the art construction practices and an experienced multinational team of professionals. New technologies - like use of information technology and data management, innovative construction techniques, standardized motorway design based on world class standards - will all be introduced and then transferred to the Romanian workforce on the Project through dedicated training and on site work experience.

Bechtel has incorporated world-class sustainable development practices into its global business. These will be applied to the Autostrada Transilvania to ensure that a positive long-term legacy is created by this project. Our goal is to ensure that the Project acts as a catalyst for economic growth to local communities; fosters employment growth in the local economy; provides a platform for the sustainable growth of local business; and strengthens the local employment skills base.

Environmental mitigation measures will also be applied to reduce the impact of the Project on individual householders, as well as their communities, and that encourage the prudent use and protection of natural and cultural resources.

We will also encourage the engagement and participation of Project stakeholders, through public participation. Project stakeholders will be actively engaged in decision-making process as the Project progresses, and the concerns of the community will be addressed in order to help ensure that local social and cultural values and traditions are respected.

The official groundbreaking ceremony for Autostrada Transilvania was held near the village of Valisoara on June 16, 2004.

In June 2004, work started simultaneously on two segments – 2b Campia Turzii-Cluj West and 3c Suplacu de Barcau-Bors.

Last year, on 1^st of December 2009 the Project Romanians celebrated the inauguration of Turda-Gilau section of the Autostrada Transilvania.
The first 42 kilometers of motorway were inaugurated and opened to traffic in the presence of the interim PM Emil Boc, accompanied by the interim Transport Minister Radu Berceanu.
After cutting the inaugural ribbon, Prime Minister Emil Boc got behind the wheel of a white Logan car and, together with minister Berceanu, drove on the 42 km from Turda to Gilau.
The inaugurated section was taken over by the National Company of Motorways and National Roads through a taking over certificate on November 27, 2009.
The Turda-Gilau motorway is now called the A3 and will have a speed limit of 130 kilometres per hour. 

Through the 31^st January 2010, The Project has accomplished an actual to-date of 87.2% complete for Section 2b and 30.1% for Section 3c.

All activities in Section 2b and 3c have now been affected by the reduction in the rate of work and are being significantly reduced. Works are being continued, in a limited manner, on Turda-Campia Turzii section, between km 0 and km 9+400.
Between January 9, 2010 - February 8, 2010, on Section 2b the Earthworks and Structures departments performed 3,896 m³ of excavation and 5,508 m³ of fill, placement of 1,113 m³ of structural concrete and installation of 784 lm of piles and 36 T-Beams.
In the same period, on Section 3c, have continued some structural works including placement of 824 m³ of structural concrete, beams production (9 T-Beams and 18 U-Beams) and earthworks activities (586 m³ of mass and structural excavation).
 

For construction purposes, the project is divided into eight segments as follows:

Section 1 Brasov (Cristian) - Targu Mures (Ogra) 161 km
Section 1a Brasov (Cristian) - Fagaras
Section 1b Fagaras - Sighisoara
Section 1c Sighisoara - Ogra (Targu Mures)

Section 2 Targu Mures (Ogra) - Cluj 90 km
Section 2a Ogra (Targu Mures) - Campia Turzii
Section 2b Campia Turzii - Cluj West (Gilau)

Section 3 Cluj - Bors 164 km
Section 3a Cluj West (Gilau) - Mihaesti
Section 3b Mihaesti - Suplacu de Barcau
Section 3c Suplacu de Barcau - Bors (border)

In 2004, works started simultaneously on two segments - Section 2b Campia Turzii-Cluj West, and Section 3c Suplacu de Barcau-Bors.

The Project's eight segments each start and finish with an interchange so that traffic can be opened as each segment is completed.

Our policy is to maximize Romanian content in staffing, purchasing and subcontracting. We intend to merge our international experience with local knowledge by hiring, training and utilizing Romanian staff - from management positions, to supervisors, to operators and craft labour. We will actively solicit subcontractor and supplier interest from Romanian firms. We will help our suppliers and subcontractors understand and achieve the project expectations of providing high quality services on time and within budget.

Bechtel will rate potential subcontractors based on such factors as:

• Safety and Environmental Protection Practices
• Quality 
• Experience & Performance 
• Financial Stability
• Technical Capability

The tendering process follows our international subcontract selection policy. Firms that offer historic capability for safety, quality and stability will be suitable for this world-class project.
 

Employing Romanian expertise and labor is a priority in this project, which will subsequently contribute to economic growth along the alignment and strengthen the local employment skills base. This will result in technology transfer that will benefit the work force on subsequent projects in Romania.

Currently, we have over 1,800 Romanians working on the Project - making up  82 percent of the current project team. We predict that, at peak of construction, the number of Project employees will exceed 8,000. All hiring is announced in the appropriate media and is done directly through Bechtel in full cooperation with the Romanian labor and employment officials.