Tens of thousands of people will have an easier everyday life as Bosnian Square is transformed

We have reported several times on the largest development project in Zugló, named Zenit by Bayer, which features numerous innovative solutions. However, little has been said about the fact that the huge investment carried out by Bayer Construct Zrt. will also involve the reconstruction of the surrounding public roads. We asked Bayer Property senior project manager, Márton Király, about the detailed plans for the public developments.

"The development of public spaces in the vicinity of the project in Zugló is also an important part of the project" - Márton Király told us. Their commitment concerns not only Csömöri street between Nagy Lajos király útja and Rákos-patak (where the existing bridge will be widened), but also Rákospatak street up to the Vezér street junction, and Bosnyák street. These improvements were presented in a comprehensive overview.

New bus and cycle lanes on Bosnyak Square

The scale of the development is huge and it is striking that although there have been long-standing plans to redevelop the area, they have never materialised, and so the public spaces in the area have not been improved for decades. This unfortunate situation has resulted in a very outdated infrastructure in the area. "Unfortunately, this includes Bosnyak Square, as important a transport hub as it is"," Márton Király pointed out. The sections of road north-east of Bosnyák Square are now being sorted out by Bayer in connection with the development of the new district.

The transformation will make a difference every day: a new, greener and more liveable environment will be created through orderly, forward-thinking solutions. "It is particularly fortunate that we are developing not only within the site boundaries, but also outside them. Developers don't usually undertake this scale of infrastructure development for a project, but there is a huge need here. The upgrades will benefit everyone in the area, not just the new residents and tenants of the ZVK" - the background to the road improvements.

"Naturally, we thought that people who rent offices or live here would be able to easily access the area and that the residents of the district would not be disadvantaged. We had to solve this by redesigning the transport system. The aim was to ensure that motorists coming to and passing through the area would not spend more time on the road than before - even though the traffic load would be greater. We expect to achieve this".

- said.

Both micro and macro simulations were carried out during the traffic impact assessment and traffic patterns were estimated once the project was completed. This simulation gave an indication of the transport strategy to be followed and the changes that the investor would have to make to the routes.

Construction could start as early as this year

"We are in the process of obtaining the road construction permits, and we would like to start construction in the first half of the year" - said Márton Király.

It is a major investment, but it also makes the most sense to revise the pavement as part of a road project. "It's not spectacular, but it's a very important part of the project, including the replacement of four hundred metres of very old and outdated water main. Of course, this is necessary for the project, but it will also benefit the residents of the area, as not only Zenit will use the renewed pipelines", he added.

The bus corridor on Csömöri road will be bordered with green

"The essence of our plan is to separate public transport routes from car traffic" - the project manager explained."Public transport will be located on a central axis in a 2×1 bus lane, on a protected route. This will significantly speed up the movement of the buses, as they will not get stuck in traffic jams."

In addition to prioritising public transport, a 2×1 lane road will be built, as at present, and capacity will be increased by the use of turning lanes. Cycle lanes will be provided, as it is particularly important that the Zenit, and thus the Rákos stream, is easily accessible by bicycle.

Bayer's ambition is to plant tree trunks along the more than half-kilometre stretch of Csömöri road affected. "We have thought a lot about this solution because, although the road is wide, we had to accommodate a lot of features and the area is heavily loaded with utilities. In the end, we managed to do it, so we were able to create a tree line between the bus lanes, which will be a very pleasant sight, and the trees that will be planted along the pavement will provide shade in a few years. The bus lane will be designed to accommodate trams. If it is decided to run a tram here, it will be possible to do so."

An important element of the project is the extension of the 2×1 lane stream bridge at the end of Csömöri road, to allow buses to cross it without obstruction and to avoid the need to divert the cycle lane due to congestion. There will be a new bus stop in the area, Zenit near Corso, but the Bosnyak Square bus terminus will also be redeveloped.

A lot of emphasis will also be placed on the environment: street lighting will be renewed, and the landscape will be a big improvement on the current state. Not only will tree-lines be installed, but also intensive, high-quality vegetation will be planted in public spaces. Landscaped squares with irrigation systems will be created.

Giving Rákospatak Street an orderly streetscape

Not major extensions, but still spectacular interventions are expected in Rákospatak Street. A turning lane will be built to allow traffic to flow smoothly, and a pavement with a wide green lane will be created by removing the existing macadam service road running along the boundary of Zenit by Bayer. "We'll plant as many trees as possible here", the project manager said.

The development of Rákospatak Street will also extend a little beyond Vezér Street, because currently buses can only stop at the intersection by backing up traffic behind them. To overcome this inconvenience, new bus bays will be formed.

Dedicated space for the temporary market on Bosnyak Street

A wall-to-wall asphalt road borders the southern boundary of the development area in Zugló, which is also a temporary marketplace. The terracing will be centralised, with the boundary roads running along the market square and on both sides of it. "This area will also be significantly transformed, with more green space," we learnt, and the possibility of hosting the temporary market. Of course, new pavements will be laid in the area, and Bosnian Street will also get a new pavement and wearing course."