Four bridges built in the heart of this Hungarian city

A long-cherished plan of the town of Bakony is the reconstruction of the Torna stream in the heart of Ajka and the related modernisation of the road network and the construction of a community park.
In April, STRABAG started work in the city centre, where the Deák Ferenc Street along the stream is being renovated. The project goes well beyond modernising the transport corridor. The project will transform the intersection of Deák Ferenc and Rákóczi Ferenc streets into a roundabout with the correction of the eastern and western branches.

New road bridge built with elements developed by the contractor

The project, which will radically transform the traffic flow in the city centre, will also include the construction of a new road bridge over the Torna stream to the north of the roundabout, from where an access road will lead to two existing car parks.
Of course, the pavement of Deák Ferenc Street will also be reconstructed on the section between the Csingeri Road roundabout and Gyár Street, including the parking lot in front of the building at 50-54 Deák Ferenc Street. The contractor's tasks also include the installation of street lighting, telecommunications and the necessary utility replacements on the section affected by the works.

The new road bridge will connect the two banks of the Torna stream at a width of six metres, and will be built on section 32+713.5 km. The bridge will be built with two supports, with a 10.6 m span, and will be straight with a 1 per cent rise.

For the roundabout crossing, the STRABAG proprietary STR bridge girders will be used, 13 in total.

Similar bridge elements have already been used on Route 67. You can read about their innovative solutions in one of our previous articles.

Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists can now use the new road

The new roundabout will be six metres wide with four branches.

The seven-metre wide road of Deák Street will be renewed over a length of 750 metres, while the pavements will be resurfaced over a length of almost 200 metres and their width will be increased to 3.5 metres. The eight-metre wide Rákóczi Ferenc Street will be renewed on 25 metres.

The works will also affect the pavements parallel to the road, which will be widened and renovated from the bridge next to the László Nagy Municipal Cultural Centre to Bródy Street. The aim is to provide a pedestrian crossing point at the bridge next to the cultural centre and a cycle path from there to the roundabout on Csingeri út, which will share the pedestrian traffic and can be linked to the existing network.

In addition to the road, three pedestrian bridges will be built over the Torna stream

The works include the construction of three pedestrian bridges over the Torna stream. These will provide access from one bank to the other at sections 32+588, 32+672 and 32+768 km.

The first of the three pedestrian crossings will be 13 metres long and 3.25 metres wide.

 

The long-distance thermal footbridge will be constructed with two supports 11.5 m apart on the section 32+588.5 km of the Torna stream. The bridge, supported on drilled piles, will also ensure the passage of the transmission lines.

They will also be able to cross the Cikk-Cakk bridge

The second will be in front of the police station, with a 12-metre-long bridge over three metres wide and a 12-metre-long superstructure to serve pedestrian traffic. This steel crossing, supported on drilled piles, will also carry communication cables between the two banks of the stream.  

The most interesting crossing, the so-called Cikk-Cakk bridge, will be built with three supports, with a crown width of between 2.5 and 4 metres. All the bridges, including this one, will be adapted to the embankment reconstruction that will be carried out later.

The length of the superstructure is 17.95 metres, while the overall width ranges from 2.5 to 5.2 metres, thanks to its particular shape.

Improving the stream environment

The contractor STRABAG will also be responsible for the clean-up of the creek environment, including utility replacements, paving, landscaping and street furniture. The project will also include the reconstruction of the parking lot between the Torna creek and Liberty Square at the Helios shopping centre.
The works are scheduled to be completed in April 2025.