A cycle path is being built in Szigetköz with a bridge spanning the Dead Danube.

The cycle path being built in Szigetköz runs for almost one and a half kilometres along road 1406, creating a direct link between Máriakálnok and Halászi. The transport corridor is not only important for local residents, but could also significantly increase tourist traffic in the area. Máriakálnok is a unique settlement, an island in Szigetköz surrounded by the Mosoni-Duna and Kálnoki Duna branches of the Danube. Halászi, which forms the gateway to the region, has served as a crossing point since ancient times, with traffic on the road connecting Mosonmagyaróvár and Győr crossing the Danube there.

The two towns will be connected to the international cycle route network

The project is being implemented by the local governments of Máriakálnok and Halászi, in cooperation with the Arrabona EGTC consortium, with funding from the European Union. The aim of the development is to create a safe, modern and tourist-friendly cycle route between the two towns, which will also connect to the EuroVelo6 network at the junction of roads 1406 and 1401.

As part of the preparations, protected plants were transplanted.

Preparations for the investment date back to 2011, with local residents encouraging the construction of the road by collecting signatures. After the support agreement was signed in 2022, preparations for construction continued with the completion of licensing and planning tasks. This included the replacement of public utilities and the relocation of protected plants in the Natura 2000 area.

Recycled building materials were also used.

The project plans were prepared by PRO Pervium Mérnöki Iroda Kft.. The work site was handed over to the contractor STRABAG on 29 September 2025. Construction of the road and the bridge over the Dead Danube began simultaneously, with the latter completed on 29 October. The 1,493-metre-long cycle path has two-way sections with a pavement width of 2.30 metres, while at several points along the project, a 1.30-metre one-way design ensures safe traffic flow.

The track structure consists of a 3-centimetre-thick AC-8 wearing course, a 4-centimetre AC-11 binder course, 20–21 centimetres of M56 mechanical stabilisation and a 25-centimetre sandy gravel protective layer. Taking environmental considerations into account, the contractor also used partially recycled crushed concrete to form the base layer.

Smart solutions for landscaping

The volume of landscaping work was considerable: more than a thousand cubic metres of topsoil removal, nearly five thousand square metres of mirror preparation, and several hundred cubic metres of earth excavation and filling were completed, while long-distance transport allowed the soil excavated at certain sites of the project to be used efficiently in other sections.

A bridge was built over the Dead Danube

One of the key technical elements of the development is the new cycle bridge crossing the Holt-Duna branch, which was built at section 0+569, at kilometre 5+765 of road 1406. The bridge has a single span with a 9-metre clearance, and its steel main girders were delivered to the site as prefabricated elements. The wooden decking and painted wooden railings blend in with the natural character of the surroundings, while the bridgeheads are made of monolithic reinforced concrete.

The bridge construction was adapted to the rhythm of the fish's life cycle.

The proximity of the Holt-Duna posed a significant challenge, as the riverbed had to be drained using cofferdams, while the proximity of public utilities – including a gas pipeline – meant that MVM technical supervision also had to be present at all times. No work on the water was required for the bridge construction, but the levelling of the riverbed and the slope, the demarcation of the work pit and the on-site concreting of the foundation bodies still required considerable technical organisation. The contractor had to meet a strict deadline, as the Nature Conservation Authority stipulated that all work affecting the riverbed must be completed by 31 October, taking into account the wintering period of fish; accordingly, the bridge was completed on 29 October 2025.

The way is open to explore Szigetköz

The implementation of the project represents a major step forward for the region, not only in terms of transport, but also in terms of tourism. The new section connects to the EuroVelo 6 international cycle route network at the junction of roads 1406 and 1401, making Győr, Mosonmagyaróvár and the entire Szigetköz region more easily accessible from both Máriakálnok and Halászi. The development is expected to increase the number of commuters and tourists, while reducing the risk of accidents between the two towns.

Work continues during the winter period with permission

During construction, STRABAG is working with several subcontractors who are performing earthworks, retaining wall construction, substructure tasks and traffic engineering work. Cooperation with the engineering organisation is smooth, with weekly meetings ensuring that the schedule is adhered to precisely. Although the project will enter the winter period in November, a permit obtained from the state road authority allows construction to continue during the winter road maintenance period.

Cyclists will be able to take possession of the new road in spring

The planned deadline for the handover of the development is 28 November 2025, with commissioning expected in April 2026. The investment will not only create a new cycle path between Máriakálnok and Halászi, but also a transport and tourism axis of regional significance that will shape the mobility and attractiveness of Szigetköz in the long term.