The unknown “heroes” of the Sibiu-Pitesti Highway. Romanians, Croatians, Slovaks, Austrians and Germans ate sarmales, red eggs and cozonac among excavators

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The workers who build Sibiu – Pitesti highway they don’t even have Easter off. Almost 400 people work on the two tunnels between Pitesti and Curtea de Argeş. The first kilometer of the gallery has already been dug by employees from 14 countries. Today, they all had a festive meal – the foreigners learned from their Romanian colleagues to say “Christ is Risen” in our language.

By Alin Stan on 05.05.2024, 19:32

Romanians, Croatians, Slovaks, Austrians and Germans, the employees on the Sibiu – Pitesti highway construction site celebrated Easter at work. They ate sarmals, red eggs and cozonac among excavators and concrete mixers.

Work is being done in shifts on the Sibiu-Pitesti Highway

Adrian Boboiu is away from his family for the first time this Easter. He works in shifts, both day and night, at the first kilometer of the highway tunnel in Romania, close to Curtea de Argeş.

• Adrian Boboiu, construction site worker: It’s really the first time I’ve been away for the holidays. It’s strange… being away from home so… I don’t even have words. There were some colleagues who collected these dishes and we invited the colleagues to enjoy with us. We try to make a team as united as possible.
• Ioan Gaigăr, worker: For us it is something ordinary. I also worked on New Year’s Day and all the holidays.
• Welwyn, site manager: We have workers from many cultures, many different countries and they work together. We are very satisfied with our Romanian colleagues. We work day and night shifts, seven days a week. We have eight teams working on the work. It is quite demanding work, but we are on the right track.
• Alin Stan, Observer reporter: We have the first kilometer of tunnel built at the level of the Pitesti – Sibiu highway. They are working 24 hours a day and the deadline for completion should be next year.

Only for the tunnel.

The construction site was divided into five lots. The first section of 14 kilometers, Sibiu – Boita, is completed

Three are in the works – one could be ready by the end of the year – and another is still in design. The high-speed road costs 3,200,000,000 euros and should be ready in four years.

• Ionel Scrioşteanu – State Secretary Ministry of Transport: There are still 12 structures, bridges, passages, viaducts. The longest viaduct on this sector is around 650 meters. The deadline is in 2026, now we are ahead of schedule even if there were some problems encountered with sand areas.
• Ionuţ Ciurea, Pro Infrastructure: Beyond the tunnel, the lot is difficult even if we are only talking about 10 kilometers. We have a lot of consolidation to do, complicated, long, deep and many viaducts. It is possible, even contractually, to extend the term.

The high-speed highway will be 122 kilometers long, will connect Muntenia with Transylvania and connect with the highway to the West.

The road that now connects Pitesti with Sibiu is one of the busiest and busiest in the country. 65,000 cars pass the DN7 every day, at an average speed of 35 kilometers per hour, according to a traffic study commissioned by the Ministry of Transport.