Giant machines shape the subsoil along the M1 motorway

In addition to spectacular earthworks, special civil engineering technologies are also being used to ensure the durability of the track structure during the expansion of the M1 motorway. At several points along the project, so-called compacted subgrade reinforcement is being used, in which crushed stone is placed at a depth of 6–10 metres in a specific distribution using a soil displacement method, according to the 44th entry in the M1 expansion log at Magyar Koncessziós Infrastruktúra Fejlesztő Zrt. (MKIF).

Special technology increases the load-bearing capacity of the soil

The essence of the technology is that high-performance, state-of-the-art pile drivers with hydraulic hammering tools – with a hammering force of 5–10 tonnes – form the piles, which significantly improve the load-bearing capacity of the soil. During construction, crushed stone is fed into the hammer using a special 50-tonne stone feeder mounted on an excavator.

Stability even with increasing traffic loads

The progress of the works is well demonstrated by the fact that by mid-February, approximately 1,600 abutments had already been completed along the motorway. The method used plays a key role in ensuring that the expansion provides a stable road structure in the long term, even with increased traffic loads.

The expansion of the M1 motorway began in September 2025 on the main road between the M0 and the Concó (Bábolna area) rest area. During the development, the motorway will be expanded to 2×3 lanes over a length of 78 km, with 1-1 full-value traffic lanes on each side that can be used as intelligent hard shoulders (ITS) for greater capacity and safety.