The Iași City Hall has awarded two contracts for the design work necessary for the construction of underground passages. One of these contracts targets the Cotnari-Primăverii intersection area, while the other contract involves updating the documentation for the underpass in front of the Palace of Culture Square.
Both contracts are valued at 209,500 lei each, although the contract for the Cotnari underpass includes the development of a feasibility study, whereas the contract for the Panu underpass only involves the revision of documentation prepared in 2021.
The Cotnari underpass will have a length of 300 meters and will feature one lane per direction. The design of this underpass has been entrusted to the Iași-based company Carrera Construct, through the direct awarding of the contract via the national public procurement system. The company has four months to complete the documentation.
“A rectilinear underground passage with one traffic lane per direction is proposed, with the entry ramp on Socola Boulevard near the Cotnari restaurant and the exit ramp on Socola Boulevard near the House of Unions. The future passage will stretch over a length of approximately 250-300 meters and aims to alleviate traffic congestion at the Cotnari – Primăverii intersection,” the specifications state.
According to the cited source, the underpass at the Cotnari-Primăverii intersection will have only two traffic lanes, one per direction. The company chosen by the Iași City Hall, Carrera Construct, will design not only the traffic lanes but also service sidewalks, the lighting system, the reinforced concrete infrastructure, the prefabricated beam superstructure, the reinforced concrete foundations, and the connections to adjacent streets.
As for the A. Panu underpass near the Palace of Culture, it will be redesigned under a contract for updating the documentation, signed with Kango Project. The contract was also awarded directly through SEAP. Two years ago, the Iași City Hall launched a tender for the construction of this underpass, with an estimated value of 23 million lei, but the tender was canceled due to a lack of bids.
Now, the municipality wants to update the initial documentation from 2021, considering that all the permits obtained at that time have since expired. The A. Panu underground passage will include two traffic lanes per direction, as well as a new double track for public tram transport, with the entry ramp on Anastasie Panu Street and the exit ramp on Palat Street. The underpass will be constructed with a box structure, with a width of 15 meters and a curve radius of 140 meters.
The municipality intends to retain the surface tram line, which will be analyzed during the preparation of the documentation to serve as an alternative for public transport in the event of traffic disruptions through the underpass. The designer will also need to consider the new street built in the meantime in the underpass area, which connects Palat Street to Sf. Andrei Street.
The new technical project, including the updating of all necessary permits, must be completed within five months.
