Bucharest wants to expand its tram infrastructure

Mayor Nicusor Dan explained that the city is nearly ready to launch a feasibility study into an urban rail network in the capital

Last week, Bucharest Mayor, Nicusor Dan announced that the local administration will work on renovating and expanding the tram lines in the city. Furthermore, he said that authorities are getting ready to launch a feasibility study on a metropolitan train line.

The announcement followed the mayor’s meeting with Adina Valean, European Commissioner for Transport. According to Mayor Dan, this massive infrastructure project can be funded through Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Mass transit is the way toward sustainable mobility

According to a report by AGERPRESS, a Romanian news agency, Bucharest has 150 kilometres of tram lines and as Mayor Dan puts it, 100 kilometres have already been renovated. At the same time, he said that local authorities are planning and expanding by a further 30 kilometres.

These 50+30 kilometres of infrastructure can be paid for by Romania’s post-Covid-recovery plan, through the budget section of local authorities. He explained that currently, the plan offers 600 million euros to local authorities that they will have to apply for via projects submitted to the national government.

However, Nicusor Dan said that it is not clear how much of that funding will go to Bucharest, as there are many municipalities in Romania and a large number of them would try to get at least a portion of the funds. Nevertheless, he said that with or without recovery plan funding, the renovation of the existing infrastructure will still happen.

Bucharest’s mayor also explained that the city is on the verge of launching a feasibility study on establishing an urban rail system. He said that the municipality has forwarded all their current data on the viability of the projects to Commissioner Valean.

Mayor Dan explained on social media that green and sustainable mobility is a priority both for the EU and for the Bucharest local administration, as he thanked the EU Commission for their continued support in bringing in the necessary funds.