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Craiova–Pitești Expressway (DEx12)

Expressway (drum expres) in south-western Romania linking Craiova, Slatina and Pitești, where it branches off the A1 motorway; previously labelled A12 when planned as a motorway. 121 km long with an estimated total cost of €1.66 billion, it is nicknamed "Autostrada Ford" after the carmaker's Craiova plant. Opened in stages between April 2022 and July 2025, the full Craiova–Pitești route has been in service since 31 July 2025.

Total length
118 km
Open today
118 km
Sections
6
Cost on record
€744.956M
4 of 6 sections carry a comparable figure

Restated into EUR at 2025 prices.

Cost for the project as a whole
lei 3.1Bwhole programmeConstruction cost of the whole 121 km route, excluding VAT, per CNAIR director general Cristian Pistol at the final opening, July 2025. Funded from non-reimbursable EU funds (POIM and Programul Transport). Not broken out per lot.
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Sections

Sections of Craiova–Pitești Expressway (DEx12): status, length, dates, cost, funding and contractors
SectionsStatusLengthTimelineCostFundingContractorsContract terms
Craiova – Balș

Section of the Craiova–Pitești expressway (nicknamed "Autostrada Ford"); total route estimated at €1.66bn. Sections 1–2 awarded October 2018, sections 3–4 signed September 2020 / August 2021. After Tirrena Scavi's contract was terminated in December 2022, CNAIR awarded the remaining works to Ozaltin – Strade – Visio for 439.29 million lei, 18 months of works, start order issued September 2023.

1378910
Show on map →
Opened18 km
  1. Oct 2018Tender awarded
  2. 2019Construction start
  3. Nov 29, 2024Opened
  • Estimated lei 479.8MPre-tender estimate for the design and build of Tronsonul 1 (bids opened October 2017). Excluding VAT.
  • European UnionEU funds (Large Infrastructure Operational Programme)
  • National budget
  • Tirrena Scavi (contract cancelled 21 December 2022 at 58.26% progress)Builder
  • Ozaltin Insaat – Strade Bauunternehmung – Visio Construction Works (completion contract)Builder
24 mo execution · Contract value lei 358.18M
Balș – Slatina

Section of the Craiova–Pitești expressway (nicknamed "Autostrada Ford"); total route estimated at €1.66bn. Sections 1–2 awarded October 2018, sections 3–4 signed September 2020 / August 2021

1310
Show on map →
Opened16 km
  1. Oct 2018Tender awarded
  2. 2019Construction start
  3. Apr 21, 2022Opened
  • Estimated lei 671.39MPre-tender estimate for the design and build of Tronsonul 2 – Lotul 1 (km 17+700 – km 36+200), October 2017. Excluding VAT.
  • European UnionEU funds (Large Infrastructure Operational Programme)
  • National budget
  • Spedition UMBBuilder
24 mo execution · Contract value lei 661.45M
Slatina bypass

Section of the Craiova–Pitești expressway (nicknamed "Autostrada Ford"); total route estimated at €1.66bn. Sections 1–2 awarded October 2018, sections 3–4 signed September 2020 / August 2021

1310
Show on map →
Opened21 km
  1. Oct 2018Tender awarded
  2. 2019Construction start
  3. Jul 28, 2022Opened
  • Estimated lei 804.96MPre-tender estimate for the design and build of Tronsonul 2 – Lotul 2 (km 36+200 – km 57+550), October 2017. Excluding VAT.
  • European UnionEU funds (Large Infrastructure Operational Programme)
  • National budget
  • Spedition UMBBuilder
24 mo execution · Contract value lei 792.19M
Slatina – Colonești

Section of the Craiova–Pitești expressway (nicknamed "Autostrada Ford"); total route estimated at €1.66bn. Sections 1–2 awarded October 2018, sections 3–4 signed September 2020 / August 2021

145
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Opened32 km
  1. Sep 2020Tender awarded
  2. May 2021Construction start
  3. Dec 23, 2023Opened
  • Estimated lei 999.41M(2019)
  • European UnionEU funds (Large Infrastructure Operational Programme)
  • National budget
  • SA&PE Construct – Spedition UMB – TehnostradeBuilder
24 mo execution · 36 mo total · Contract value lei 670.72M
Colonești – Albota

Section of the Craiova–Pitești expressway (nicknamed "Autostrada Ford"); total route estimated at €1.66bn. Sections 1–2 awarded October 2018, sections 3–4 signed September 2020 / August 2021

1
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Opened20 km
  1. Sep 2020Tender awarded
  2. Mar 2022Construction start
  3. Nov 28, 2024Opened
–
  • European UnionEU funds (Large Infrastructure Operational Programme)
  • National budget
  • SA&PE Construct – Spedition UMB – TehnostradeBuilder
–
Albota – Pitești

Section of the Craiova–Pitești expressway (nicknamed "Autostrada Ford"); total route estimated at €1.66bn. Sections 1–2 awarded October 2018, sections 3–4 signed September 2020 / August 2021

1
Show on map →
Opened11 km
  1. Sep 2020Tender awarded
  2. Mar 2022Construction start
  3. Jul 31, 2025Opened
–
  • European UnionEU funds (Large Infrastructure Operational Programme)
  • National budget
  • SA&PE Construct – Spedition UMB – TehnostradeBuilder
–

Contractor roles are as recorded in the award. Only builders count toward the delivery rankings.

Funding

  • European Union118 km
    6 sections
    • EU funds (Large Infrastructure Operational Programme)
  • National budget118 km
    6 sections

A section that lists two sources counts its full length under each: the data records which sources paid, not what share each one carried.

Related projects

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: DEx12 expressway
  2. OpenStreetMap contributors (geometry, ODbL)
  3. hotnews.ro
  4. zf.ro
  5. economica.net
  6. Economica.net: „Autostrada Ford” – DEx12: A fost deschisă circulația pe ultimii kilometri ai Drumului Expres Craiova – Pitești (31 July 2025)read Sep 25, 2026
  7. Economica.net: Autostrada Ford DEx12, Tronsonul 1 Craiova – Robăneștiread Sep 25, 2026
  8. HotNews.ro: Se deschide circulația pe Drumul Expres 12: Încă un lot construit de UMB, gata de inaugurare (17 December 2023)read Sep 25, 2026
  9. Economica.net: „Autostrada Ford”: A fost semnat contractul pentru finalizarea tronsonului 1 cu turcii de la Ozaltin (8 August 2023)read Sep 28, 2026
  10. HotNews.ro: Au fost depuse ofertele pentru constructia primelor doua tronsoane din drumul expres Craiova – Pitesti (23 October 2017)read Oct 1, 2026