M1 extension: five organisations jointly report on the progress of the historic road development

On 22 September, the five organisations concerned held a joint press conference in the Bicske area to report on the three-week expansion of the M1 motorway. MKIF Magyar Koncessziós Infrastruktúra Fejlesztő Zrt. is carrying out the largest motorway expansion in the history of domestic road construction under the supervision and support of Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium.

Large drones make traffic management more efficient

After preparatory works started last autumn, the project started on 1 September with the removal of vegetation and the construction of the plant passages.

The fact that five organisations are holding a joint press conference on the project shows the complexity and diversity of the M1 extension. The development is of historic proportions because no motorway extension has ever been built with the technical content and length of the project now underway.The complexity and the number of the different organisations involved is impressive and the importance of the project is clear.

Also unveiled at the event were MKIF's large-scale drones, which will in future make post-accident traffic management much more efficient by providing immediate data to the operator when they arrive on the scene quickly. These drones will be able to pinpoint the exact location of an accident, for example, and share the coordinates with police and ambulance services, who will then be able to carry out their tasks more quickly and efficiently.

Up to 2×4 lanes for traffic between Budapest and Győr

At Monday's press event, Bálint Nagy, State Secretary for Transport of Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium; Tamás Németh, CEO of MKIF Magyar Koncessziós Infrastruktúra Fejlesztő Zrt.; Csaba Mikesz, Deputy Chief Technical Officer of Magyar Közút Nonprofit Zrt.; Viktor Váczi, spokesperson of the MÁV team; and József Óberling, Police Colonel, Head of the Traffic Police Department of the ORFK, reported on the status of the project.

The development will see the M1 motorway widened to 2×3 lanes for 78 km between the M0 and the Concó rest area at km 94. In addition, a so-called intelligent stopping lane will be built on each side, which can be used as a full-fledged traffic lane and will be opened for traffic during accidents, work or heavy traffic, allowing traffic to move on up to 2×4 lanes between Budapest and Győr.

80-83 thousand vehicles per day on the busiest section

Bálint Nagy, State Secretary for Transport of the ÉKM, recalled that in 2010 Hungary had less than 1300 km of motorways, while today this figure has reached 1900 km. "However, in order to accelerate this pace of development, a concession contract has been signed, which will result in more than 530 km of road upgrading, more than 270 km of new motorways and a similar number of network extensions in the coming years", he said.

He then turned to the M1 expansion project, reminding us that it is one of the busiest motorways in the country. More than 50,000 vehicles a day travel on its entire 160 kilometres, and in the case of the busiest part of the road, the Biatorbágy area, that figure is more than 80-83,000 vehicles a day.

"One thing is clear from this: we are maximising the capacity of the M1 motorway. This shows that the next step is just that there is only one way forward and that is development", he explained.

Transparent communication to travellers

The State Secretary emphasised that the expansion of the M1 motorway is a „very large project and a very big step”: in order to implement it in the best possible way, particular emphasis is being placed on communication, which is why MKIF was also asked to participate. Accordingly, the company provides regular updates on the project. The work logs published on their Facebook page and the continuously updated information website about the M1 project, which is available in 13 languages, has been mentioned several times in our newspaper.

Not a simple lane extension

Tamás Nemeth, CEO of MKIF Zrt. was the first to recall:

The widening of the M1 motorway is the biggest infrastructure project in Hungary today: it is not just a simple lane widening, but a much more complex and complex investment. He stressed that "this is the start of a comprehensive infrastructure investment and development programme that will determine the future of Hungary's motorway network for decades to come."

He pointed out that the most spectacular parts of the extension works started on 1 September,

• for example, by removing the vegetation in the buffer strip,
• the design of the factory gateways,
• building emergency hatch bays
• and pile driving of bridges.

He explained that preparations for the expansion have actually been underway for more than a year and added that the public has been kept informed about the preparatory work (we also regularly review these entries in our newspaper – ed.).

Reservoirs and longer noise barriers

The CEO listed: among others

• replanting of protected vegetation,
• the replacement of utilities,
• the test piles on the side of the track, and
• the discharge of ammunition
• and the start of archaeological work.

After listing the number and nature of the new lanes and the mileage data, Tamás Németh first stressed that during the expansion, the two lanes will be provided in both directions, so the two lanes will be available to travellers in the direction of Győr and Budapest throughout the expansion. The CEO then went on to provide further technical details:

• The project will involve the renewal of 72 bridges and overpasses.
• 11 junctions will be upgraded.
• Four new junctions will be built.
• Rest areas will be renewed, new truck parking spaces will be created, and more than 300 spaces will be added to the current truck parking capacity.
• Engineering offices will also be expanded to cope with the increased tasks, such as the engineering offices in Bicske and Komárom,
• Roundabouts will be built for easier access to the motorway,
• and modern and environmentally friendly drainage and water storage systems will be built alongside the track
• and, last but not least, the length of noise barriers will increase significantly along the motorway.

He said:

According to the concession contract, the section of the M0 between Bicske will be built by 31 August 2028, and the section up to Concó rest will be handed over by 31 August 2029.

The CEO also emphasised that a separate, independent information website was launched on 1 September in Hungarian and 12 other languages to ensure that all information is available to travellers in a timely manner. This website will provide diversion information, as well as the locations of rest areas and emergency lay-bys. He added that the website is already up and running and that artificial intelligence is also being used to help speed up the transfer of information.

Part of a decade-long project

Finally, he stressed that MKIF Zrt. is financing the M1 extension with substantial own resources and loans under a concession contract with the Hungarian State. He added that these works will be carried out under the supervision and control of ÉKM.

He pointed out that the investment is part of a 10-year project in which the concession company will widen the M7 and the M3 motorway alongside the M1 between 2025 and 2034, and will also build 279 kilometres of new expressway.

Finally, he thanked in advance all those involved in this extraordinary development for their work, support and cooperation. He also thanked his colleagues, the company's partners and government representatives for their support. In his closing remarks, the CEO also asked for the cooperation of road users, for the respect of traffic rules and for patience on behalf of the company, which he said was necessary to ensure that road users, builders and operators could access the track safely every day during the development period.

C Csaba Mikesz, deputy technical director of Magyar Közút Nonprofit Zrt., said that during the renovation, trucks heavier than 7.5 tonnes will not be allowed to leave the motorway, and signs will be put up to this effect.