National
Development Agency

Traffic heading through the residential areas of the district, as well as air pollution and environmental burdens, will substantially decrease thanks to this priority transport project. Dr Pál Steiner, President of the Central Hungary Regional Development Council, and Mr Mihály Tóth, Mayor of Csepel, also attended the event. 

Both car and heavy vehicle traffic between Csepel Island and the central districts of Budapest continuously increased over the past few decades. According to analyses, Csepel’s current road network has reached its maximum capacity, which is why some sort of a solution needs to be found. The current volume of traffic – especially heavy vehicle traffic – creates extremely high traffic burdens for the road network, as a result of which the road network is rapidly eroded. This traffic also creates high burdens along the street front of residential buildings.

The application approved within the framework of the Central Hungary Operational Programme establishes the grounds for constructing the main road running through Csepel, the first phase of which development will soon commence. The quality of life of the residents of Csepel, as well as people commuting into the district will also significantly improve, since traffic conditions will be calmer and the air will be cleaner thanks to the main road to be constructed along a 2.5-kilometre section from the junction of Szabadkikötő Road and Szállítók Road up to Posztógyár Street.

In his speech, Mr Miklós Hagyó, Deputy Mayor of Budapest, highlighted that the objectives of this investment, among others, include reducing transit traffic heading through residential areas, improving the efficiency of community transport and reducing environmental burdens, i.e., air, noise and vibration pollution. Access to all economically important areas in the district will improve as an outcome of the construction of the 2x2-lane road. 
Dr Pál Steiner, President of the Central Hungary Regional Development Council, said that the 6.7-kilometre-long Csepel Island development will link up with the 2.5-kilometre-long Csepel main road project by 2011; consequently, residential areas in the district, as well as on the entire island will be made more liveable. The President added that this bypass road is also essential because of the waste water treatment plant in Csepel.

Mr Mihály Tóth, Mayor of Csepel, added: “After a 16-year struggle, the construction of the main road in Csepel reducing traffic along the district’s road network may soon commence with the help of a substantial amount of funding contributed by the local government alongside the EU funding approved through tendering. It is important to see that this main road construction is only the first step towards eliminating the sub-standard state of Csepel’s infrastructure. North- and southbound construction must definitely continue, which is a fundamental task over the upcoming 4-5 years. The main road of Csepel, i.e., the 21st District, must be connected to the Csepel Island main road outside Budapest.”

The General Assembly of the Municipality of Budapest approved the construction permits of the main road in Csepel in May, hence paving the way for the signing of the Assistance Contract.