Economy 3 October 2019, 11:19am

Hungary opens longest stretch of road in past 17 years

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As anticipated, the biggest road inauguration ceremony of the past 17 years took place on Wednesday when officials opened a 62-kilometre stretch of the M44 road between Kondoros and Tiszakürt in Southeast Hungary. The HUF 145 bn project, which used no EU funding, saves 25 minutes on travel time between Budapest and Békéscsaba. Once completed, the four-lane M44 will link up Békéscsaba to the expressway network.

Rendõrök helyszínelnek a 44-es úton 2015. június 26-án. A Kondoros és Békéscsaba közötti szakaszon egy kisteherautó és két személygépkocsi karambolozott. A balesetnek három sérültje van, egy ember a helyszínen meghalt.

The last time such a long stretch of road was completed in one piece was in 2002, László Mosódi, state secretary in charge of transportation policy at the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, said at the ceremony in Kardos.

The government's Road Scheme, which encompasses planned road development projects through 2024, has a budget of HUF 3,200 bn, of which Hungary will pay HUF 1,800 bn and the EU HUF 1,400 bn. The current stretch of road was built using domestic funds only, Mosódi said. The scheme aims to connect all city counties (cities with county rights) currently only accessible through two-lane roads to the four-lane expressway network, which will soon reach locations like Eger, Kaposvár, Sopron, Szolnok and Zalaegerszeg as well.

The 62-km stretch of road was built by a consortium of Duna Aszfalt, Hódút, Euroaszfalt, Swietelsky, Solt Út and A-Híd.

Cover photo: MTI/ Ferenc Donka