Road and rail investments are about to start across the country - here's the list

In July, the government decided to launch a total of 24 major road and rail projects, as reported by Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium (ÉKM) on Világgazdaságot.

According to the material submitted to the newspaper, the design procurement procedures for the projects concerned can start.19 out of 24 developments will start the design procurement procedures in the third quarter of this year.

According to the list, the investments concerned are

• Debrecen,
• Iváncsa,
• Dunakeszi,
• Zalaegerszeg,
• Nyíregyháza
• and in the Kecskemét region, with the aim of developing the industrial infrastructure there.

In our newspaper, previously published details of the government decision on the preparation of 24 large-scale national road construction projects.

Debrecen

Diverse developments are taking shape throughout the city. One of the bases for these is the North-West Economic Zone (ÉNYGÖ). In connection with this, a decision has been made on road infrastructure developments. Two construction (Csigekert Street junction, Vezér Street junction) and three planning (Debrecen-Józsa Northern relief road, four-lane expansion of main road 35, and development of the main road junction between 33 and 35) public procurement procedures will be launched in the third quarter of 2023.

Also in the context of the NENEGO, rail infrastructure development will be a major focus. These will be in two phases.

In the first phase, they will modernise and reinforce the 108th railway line. Debrecen–Füzesabony railway line between Debrecen and Macs stations. Railway line 108 runs along the ÉNYGÖ near the Macs stop and loading area, which is why a new loading station connecting to this area also needs to be built. Passenger traffic will also be included in the development, with new platforms planned at Tócóvölgy station on the Debrecen–Macs section and in the vicinity of the loading station. All this is nearing completion, and the technical handover will take place soon.

The second beat is divided into two parts:

- In the first one, partial rail infrastructure improvements between Debrecen and Balmazújváros have recently started. These include the upgrading of the railway track and its associated facilities from Macs station to Balmazújváros station. The permitted speed on the line is 100 km/h. The Balmazújváros station will also be rebuilt and the safety equipment of the whole section will be upgraded. The project also includes the construction of the Derék utca and Nyugati Ipari Park railway stops in the centre of Debrecen, with plans and permits, together with associated noise protection works. A new remote control centre at Macs Industrial Park station will also be built to provide remote control of the line section. But the investment also includes the renovation of the railway bridge over the Eastern Main Canal and the reconstruction of the line's small structures and crossings. The eight at-grade road crossings on the line will also be rebuilt, while P+R car parks will be created at Balmazújváros station and the access road and station forecourt will be renewed. At the same location, the existing reception building is to be converted and a new operations building is planned.

- The second part is about the implementation of the Macs Industrial Park Terminal and the Debrecen "FATÉR" station. Investments to increase service quality and operational efficiency have also started in the former. A camera security system will be installed, a new office building will be constructed, an access control system will be built, and the final earthworks of the reservoir built in the previous phase will be completed and the reservoir basin will be paved. The other focus is the construction of a small station and a group of tracks in the so-called "Outer Area" of Debrecen station, a new plant building, the reconstruction of the existing steel heating plant pedestrian overpass structure and the continuation of the double-track section of line 108 to the starting point.

In the Debrecen South Economic Belt, similar ideas are on the agenda. Road and rail infrastructure improvements are also planned.

Based on the government's decision on the infrastructure development of the Southern Economic Belt of Debrecen, a public procurement procedure for five projects (Debrecen Eastern Bypass, development of Highway 481, development of Highway 47, interchange improvements on Highway 47 and Highway 481) is scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2023.

As far as the railway is concerned, the aim of these investments is to correct the track of the Debrecen-Nagykerek (-Létavértes, 107) railway line No. 106, which currently runs through the area due to the expansion of the Debrecen South Industrial Park, and to create a freight train terminal. A feasibility study for the development was carried out, the content of which was accepted by the government and Debrecen in 2022. ÉKM has now reported that the next step in the preparation of the project is the preparation of the permit plans. The preparation of the public procurement procedure is also underway.

But this is not the end of the projects in Debrecen. In order to improve access to Debrecen's economic areas, Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium plans to launch a public procurement procedure for the construction of three more road intersections (Rakovszky - Ótemető Street, Hétvezér - Budai Nagy Antal Street, Szoboszlói - Külsővásártér Street) and two more (Vágóhíd Street, Nyíl Street) in the third quarter of 2023.

Ivancsa

In connection with the development of the Iváncsa industrial innovation development area are also being prepared in connection with the development of public roads and railways. A conditional public procurement procedure for the selection of the contractor for the road development elements will be launched in the third quarter of this year. As part of the project, a 9.5-kilometre road will be built directly connected to the industrial area, and a 10.4-kilometre road will be renovated in the inner area of Iváncsa, together with the development of a cycle path.

The development of railway infrastructure is also beginning: At Adony, a newly constructed, greenfield, open-line standard gauge 5.1-kilometre industrial railway track will be built from railway line 42, with a three-level crossing. A railway loading area of approximately 20,000 square metres with a loading siding and concrete loading surface will be built adjacent to the industrial park.