Road building

Another key step in the M44 gigaconnector project will be completed overnight

Published

2026. 03. 10. 09:55
A temporary traffic closure will be required on the right lane of the M5 motorway in order to remove the beams of the bridge to be demolished. We will also present the status of the project being implemented by Duna Group.

The project to build a giant junction at the intersection of the M44 expressway and the M5 motorway has reached another spectacular stage.

As part of the development of the Hódút Építő Kft. general construction project associated with the Duna Group, work has begun on dismantling the bridge over the M5 motorway on the A5 main road.

As we have previously reported in several articles, the Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium investment will see the creation of Hungary's largest rural junction at the intersection of the M44, which will continue on the M8, the M5 and the 5. – this involves a number of special challenges and the construction of a total of 22 kilometres of road.

Night-time traffic diversion will be necessary

As a precursor to the current phase of work, a new bridge was built over the M5 motorway to carry traffic from Main Road 5, replacing the old bridge that was to be demolished. we wrote about this, among other things, in our latest article on the project.

The new bridge was opened to traffic after successfully completing its test load on 21 October last year.

Demolition of the old bridge outside the M5 motorway clearance began in October. The next step is expected to take place on the night of 10 March, when the superstructure above the right lane will be demolished, accompanied by traffic diversions. Our newspaper obtained details from the contractors.

A 650-tonne capacity mobile crane lifts the concrete beams.

During the night demolition work, the concrete beams that have already been freed up will be lifted off together with the kerb and the track slab from the lanes of the M5 motorway heading towards Szeged, i.e. above the right-hand lane.

The lifting is carried out using a Liebherr mobile crane with a lifting capacity of 650 tonnes. The lifted units and the debris resulting from the demolition are transported away using trailers with a lifting capacity of 80 tonnes.

Accordingly, complete traffic closure can be expected on the right lane during the night – the closure is expected to last from 4:00 p.m. on 10 March until the early hours of the morning.

During this time slot, traffic will be able to travel on the left lane in the direction of Budapest and Szeged on a 2+1 lane. During the day, traffic will remain the same on the left lane, but traffic will also be able to travel on one lane on the right lane.

Next, the ascending structure will be dismantled on the right track, followed by the pillar protection edging. After that, the same operations will be carried out on the left track.

Construction of the M44 motorway is progressing at both the M5 and the M5 motorways.

The summary sent to our newspaper also reported on the current status of the project. According to this, the M44 (future M8) motorway, which is being built at the intersection of Main Road 5, has been completed up to the level of the track slab. Work on insulating the road surface will begin here in the coming days. In addition, the construction of the backfill and the installation of levelling plates will continue.

The concrete slab for the right-hand collector-distributor lane of the M44 (M8) motorway, which is being built at the intersection of the M5 motorway, was completed last year, while the concrete slab for the left-hand collector-distributor lane was completed on 24 February. Currently, concrete curing and the installation of reinforcing steel on the main carriageway are underway. Preparatory work on the salt protection coatings for the substructure of the bridge at Main Road 5, which has already been opened to traffic at the intersection with the M5 motorway, will begin next week.

The final connection between the M44 and M5 motorways could be completed by the beginning of summer.

Finally, the report also mentioned the planned processes for this year's project. According to this, they will continue with the insulation of the M44 (M8) motorway track slab being built at the intersection of Main Road 5, followed by the construction of the bridge curbs and, during this time, the installation of the levelling plates.

Concrete paving of the M44 (M8) main road, which is being built at the intersection of the M5 motorway, is planned for the end of March or early April.

The next goal of the project is to open the „H” branch of the junction (highlighted in red on the map above) to traffic by the end of May or early June. this will ensure direct traffic from Békéscsaba to Budapest by connecting the M44 and M5 motorways.

After its handover, the currently operating provisional M5-M44 expressway connection will be demolished.

The technical handover of the entire junction is expected to be completed by the end of autumn 2026.

Source: Link

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