The survey shows that average costs to build one kilometer of highway are 23.3 million lei (EUR5.25 million) per kilometer on level land and RON20.8 million/km in hill regions.
There are significant differences between average costs for a kilometer of highway in Romania, with prices ranging from EUR2.68 million (the Fetesti-Cernavoda section) to EUR11.61 million (the Pitesti bypass road), the Competition Council said. Average prices vary from EUR2 million to EUR2.8 million for one kilometer of highway in Bulgaria, and from EUR4.6 million to EUR12.4 million/km in Poland.
The antitrust authority also recommends against signing additional acts to road and highway construction contracts, as they allow auction winners to directly negotiate new prices, which are usually higher than offers submitted by their competitors.
Some 203 additional acts to 96 road and highway construction contracts were signed between June 2010 and June 2011, and the value of 23 contracts was changed. Increases were registered for 18 contracts: by more than 50% (2 contracts), by 50% (eight contracts) and by 10% to 30% (eight contracts), according to the Competition Council’s report.
The survey also reveals that, for most highway sectors, completion deadlines were missed and delays even exceeded 12 months. (EUR1=RON4.435)