Deputy PM Vladimir Bolea announces eight new bridges will be built from scratch in 2026
The government has announced that in 2026 it will launch three investment types aimed at improving national road infrastructure—this is a first for the Republic of Moldova. Specifically, over the course of this year, 210 kilometers of roads will undergo major repairs, eight new bridges will be constructed, and sidewalks will be installed in several localities that are traversed by national roads. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea, who is also the Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development.
Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea announced that the eight bridges will not be repaired but demolished and "built from scratch."
"We have a very ambitious plan to construct national capital roads over a distance of 210 kilometers, including eight bridges. We are already developing a multi-year plan for these bridges, as they are extremely important. Unfortunately, we have seen issues in Bălți due to the lack of maintenance over time. As a result, we are forced to spend much higher amounts to demolish and rebuild the bridges from scratch. Given these expenses, we cannot afford to build very many bridges, but we expect to complete eight by 2026, with tenders and winners identified along the way," Bolea stated in an interview with Nordinfo.
Additionally, the Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development emphasized the authorities' commitment to road safety. This year, approximately 57 million lei has been allocated for the construction of sidewalks in localities along national roads.
"We know that people travel along these national roads, where there are schools, kindergartens, and cultural centers in the villages. It is essential for residents to have sidewalks to walk safely to cultural, social, or other important locations," the official pointed out.
Regarding the poor condition of some roads due to melting snow, Vladimir Bolea noted that over 460 tons of cold asphalt have been used so far to seal the roads and mitigate the negative impact on transport vehicles travelling on ageing national roads.
"Unfortunately, we do not have as many financial resources as we would like to construct more roads. However, with the start of the season, when quality road construction work can resume, we will enter a regular maintenance phase, and in the shortest possible time, all national roads will be sealed," added Deputy Prime Minister Bolea.
It is important to note that this year, the Road Fund's resources amount to 1.8 billion lei, specifically allocated to improve traffic conditions and enhance traffic safety, as informed by representatives of the National Road Administration during a Road Fund Council meeting on February 16, chaired by Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu.
Deputy Prime Minister Bolea anticipates a larger budget allocation for road repair and maintenance following adjustments to the state budget, similar to last year when the amount increased by 1 billion lei, raising it to 2.8 billion compared to the initial plan.
