The Mayor of Bucharest’s Sector 4, Daniel Băluţă, announced on Monday that starting next week, repair works will begin on the Unirii slab, explaining that the project will be divided into four zones. Băluţă also stated that traffic restrictions will be imposed in the city center for several months.

During a press conference on Monday, Daniel Băluţă said that the repair work can now begin after Nicuşor Dan signed the construction permit on his last day as General Mayor.

“We now have the construction permit for the Unirii slab. It was signed on the final day of his term by the General Mayor, Nicuşor Dan, whom I thanked for the collaboration and wished success in the highest public office — that of President of Romania. The permit was the only document we were missing. But now we have all the necessary paperwork and signed contracts. Therefore, starting next week, we begin the full reconstruction of the Unirii slab, for which the work order has already been issued. The official start date is June 10,” said the Sector 4 mayor.

He emphasized that Piața Unirii is a symbolic area of Bucharest and that the safety of people passing through it is non-negotiable.

“This stage is not just an administrative formality, but a clear sign that when there is will, vision, and collaboration between institutions, we can unlock major projects for Bucharest. Piața Unirii is a symbol of our city, but also a structurally vulnerable area. The safety of the thousands of people who pass through it daily is non-negotiable. That’s why I’ve fought so hard for this project. There are no personal stakes here — only the public good of the Capital,” Băluţă explained.

He also shared some technical details about the upcoming work.

“According to the construction permit, the complete rebuilding of the nearly 100-year-old concrete slab will include: regenerating the public spaces in the Piața Unirii area, rebuilding the Dâmbovița river basin structure, and fully reconstructing the Unirii slab, known as the bridge. The final concrete layer will be about 1.4 meters thick,” Băluţă highlighted.

Other works will include: rebuilding utility networks, road signage and markings, vertical systematization, building temporary roads, installing irrigation systems, and temporary interventions on the fountains.

The Sector 4 mayor mentioned that the works will be divided into four stages.

“All these works will be divided into four stages, corresponding to four distinct areas:

• Zone 1 – the area in front of Hanul lui Manuc
• Zone 2 – the park area in front of Unirea Shopping Center
• Zone 3 – the fountains area
• Zone 4 – the area near the Unirii underpass.

Starting next week, work will begin in Zones 1 and 2. In the park area — so-called Phase 1 — we’ll set up the construction site, with equipment and materials, and actual work will begin. Right after summer vacation starts, we’ll enter Phase 2, in front of Hanul lui Manuc. That’s where demolition will begin. During this phase, there will be several traffic restrictions,” Băluţă added.

He also announced that traffic on a section of Splaiul Independenței will be closed.

“A temporary road with three lanes and a sidewalk will be created for drivers coming from Corneliu Coposu Boulevard, Magheru Boulevard, and Brătianu Boulevard heading toward the Patriarchate. The most important and challenging news for all of us is that Splaiul Independenței will be closed between Piața Națiunilor Unite and Piața Unirii. STB buses will run on diverted routes, as previously mentioned. Normal traffic will continue on Splaiul Independenței heading east–west, from Piața Unirii to City Hall. The traffic flow from Calea Victoriei will be redirected via Națiunile Unite Boulevard, Libertății Boulevard, and Unirii Boulevard. Additionally, the park area in front of Unirea Shopping Center will be fenced off. Pedestrians will no longer be able to cross the park — they’ll have to go around it,” Băluţă also said.

He explained what work will take place in the park area.

“First of all, after the work area is marked off, we’ll transplant the trees located in the park. Some will be relocated to parks in Sector 4, others will be cut down and replaced with new plantings, according to the Capital City Hall’s approval. What’s certain is that once the work is completed, the area in front of the Unirea Shopping Center will still be a park — cleaner and better maintained. As for the slab reconstruction in both stages, contractors will begin by dismantling the existing slab, removing old beams and pillars, and replacing them with new components. Basically, we will have a completely new structure with a lifespan of 100 years. The entire structure will be demolished and rebuilt from the ground up,” Băluţă added.

He noted that traffic restrictions in Zones 1 and 2 will last approximately six months.

“We’re starting with the toughest part now — the hardest for Bucharest residents to endure — and we’re doing it for a very simple reason: traffic in the city is lighter in summer. Even if this phase lasts five or six months, three of those months will be more bearable. People will only have to deal with two or three difficult months. In the second phase, when we work in the fountains area — to put it simply — the whole zone will turn into a giant roundabout. So we won’t have the same kind of disruption. And when we’re working in the park, we won’t affect traffic at all,” Băluţă explained.

He also mentioned that another major traffic disruption will occur next year when the Unirii underpass will be closed.

“There will be another tough moment next year when the Unirii underpass will definitely be closed. It will be stripped down from Piața Budapesta to Universitate, the support pillars will be reinforced, and we’ll install new beams to replace the old ones. After this central structural section is rebuilt — as outlined in the current feasibility study — we’ll also install tram tracks,” Băluţă concluded.

Written by News.ro |  2 iunie 2025, 12:38