European Standard Road between the Settlements of Székely and Baktalórántháza18 February 2010
313 million HUF has been invested within the framework of NHDP to renew the 14 kilometre-long stretch of the road connecting the settlements of Székely and Baktalórántháza. Construction work began at the beginning of summer and the road has just been handed over. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is fully funding the renewal of the national subsidiary road network.
The majority of public administration, healthcare, educational institutions and workplaces are located in micro-regional centres, towns and county seats. The poor state of public roads not only makes it difficult to access public services, but equally impedes economic growth and acerbates the income earning potentials of people living in the region. The 2007-2008 action plan of NHDP regional operational programmes also serves to mitigate this problem, within the framework of which it will be possible to renew a total of 183 road stretches in Hungary’s 7 regions during the course of 2008-2009, hence enabling the renewal of 1114 kilometres of roads within the framework of 73 projects by investment approximately 50 billion HUF.
One of the key roads in Szabolcs County, namely, the 13.45 kilometre-long stretch of the road connecting the settlements of Székely and Baktalórántháza (Highway 4104) has just been ceremoniously handed over. The general constructor Magyar Aszfalt (Hungarian Asphalt) Ltd. began construction work at the beginning of summer, after having conducted the public procurement procedure, within the framework of which the constructor built road borders, reinforced the asphalt surface, cleaned the trenches and culverts and reinstated road embankments. People using community transport are now once again able to use the bus stops along this stretch, which have since been repaired and standardised.
„The European Union paid all costs arising in connection with this development by contributing a total of 313 million HUF” – said Ms Veronika Légrádi, spokesperson of the Hungarian Roads Management Company. „The likelihood of accidents will decrease and travel comfort will significantly improve along this renewed stretch. Quality roads ensure better conditions for attracting enterprises to the region and also make it possible to transport a higher volume of goods, which explicitly coincides with the common goal of the European Union and the Government, i.e., creating equal opportunity through regional developments” – highlighted the spokesperson.
Around 8,000 people live in the settlements directly affected by this development, which, in terms of regional traffic, will nevertheless affect the life of 10,000 local residents. This road connects old Highway 4 running through the settlement of Székely to Highway 41 running past Baktalórántháza, hence ensuring a north/southbound connection between the highways for transit traffic. This function is also relevant for other reasons: one of the junctions along the new stretch of Motorway M3 will be constructed just south of Baktalórántháza in the near future. Passenger, as well as heavy traffic proceeding along Highway 4 from Záhony and heading towards Romania will also be able to continue to travel towards the border crossing at Csengersima, as well as border crossings in Hajdú-Bihar County via the settlements of Székely and Baktalórántháza.
Over 270 kilometres of secondary roads are being renewed from EU funding over the 2008-2009 in the North Great plain region, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County, Hajdú-Bihar County and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County within the framework of a total of 20 projects.