BergerWorld: 3rd Quarter 2008

Romania (population 22,000,000) has long served as a major transit corridor. However, 50 years of inadequate investment, maintenance and repair has taken its toll, and the nation's transport infrastructure lags behind most of Western Europe's and cannot efficiently meet current demand. Thus, in 1996, Romania launched an ambitious program to improve rail infrastructure, rolling stock and operations. Louis Berger SAS was retained to undertake a number of rail improvements under the program.

Berger was commissioned by Caile Ferate Române (CFR), Romania's national railway operator, to improve overall efficiency, safety and passenger train utilization and scheduling. The Team first evaluated Romania's current passenger and freight demand and existing equipment, operations and schedules. Next, Berger developed a program to evaluate alternative schedules, operations and locomotive and rolling stock utilization. Following the introduction of the recommended improvements, an extensive training program was implemented, enabling CFR to fully administer, operate, maintain and update the new system.

Berger also prepared a national transport master plan for Romania. Berger experts identified and analyzed all inter-city passenger and freight movement by mode (road, rail, air and water); forecast future demand; identified current and anticipated bottlenecks; assessed the environmental impact of the current and proposed networks; and evaluated the economic impact of potential modal improvements. Given rapidly developing environmental and rising fuel-cost concerns, the country's railways received particular attention. The 20-year master plan recommended a $6 billion investment program to raise the average running speed of freight trains to 80 kilometers per hour and 120 kilometers per hour for passenger trains. Recommendations were also made to build several intermodal facilities to attract more rail freight and close several lines with marginal traffic and little-used depots.

Finally, Louis Berger SAS is also providing technical assistance for the rehabilitation of a number of railroad bridges and tunnels to increase safety and efficiency by eliminating size/weight restrictions and increasing operating speeds. A number of improvements are currently being evaluated, including replacing older bridges and rehabilitating piers, abutments and foundations. The Team's duties include preparing an extensive needs assessment report; evaluating alternative improvements and required maintenance; and preparing feasibility studies, preliminary and final designs and cost estimates for the recommended improvements.