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Renovation of route to Budapest Airport to begin as road conditions worsen – VISUALS
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According to documents uploaded on the Government Offices’ website, a new environmental review and public hearing process has begun regarding the much-needed improvements to the road access to Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport (Budapest Airport).
Road leading to Budapest Airport in insupportable condition
According to the report of HVG, the Hungarian government considers the current state of the road leading to Budapest Airport unacceptable, noting that it reflects poorly on the country, especially for foreign visitors arriving by plane. As a result, they are moving forward with plans for a comprehensive upgrade, according to documents uploaded on the Government Offices’ website.
The urgency of the situation is clear. The document argues that the Gyömrői Road and the main route to the airport are no longer able to handle the growing traffic load. The road is deemed unsafe, prone to disruptions, and presents itself as a substandard urban road to international travellers, which negatively impacts the image of the country.
Public transport, cross-traffic to be prioritised
The proposed development will extend from the Üllői Road–Határ Road intersection, beyond Budapest’s administrative boundaries, to the Market Center junction. The project will prioritise public transportation, improve cross-traffic for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, enhance noise protection, and expand green spaces. The goal is to create a unified, modern road that befits a capital city.
However, the document emphasises that the project must not increase traffic pressure on the city centre or lead to more traffic flowing in from outer districts and the surrounding suburbs. Key components of the plan include building grade-separated railway crossings, expanding Kőér Street between Határ Road and Gyömrői Road, and renovating Gyömrői Road between Kőér Street and Hangár Street. Additionally, a new connection will be established between Hangár Street and Lakatos Street. The environmental impact assessment for the project began on 10 September, with a 60-day window for completion.
It’s remarkable how this road was allowed to deteriorate for 14 years but all of a sudden, mere moments after the state purchase of the airport, it suddenly becomes a priority matter. Why was it not seen as urgent while the airport was in private hands? The passengers are the same and the first impression the current road creates of the country is, put simply, ghastly. I well remember recently travelling with a long-time frequent visitor to Hungary and on his most recent visit, he opined the road and its environs had not changed an iota since he first travelled to Hungary in 1989 and in fact it had got worse in the intervening time. The project is well overdue and I fully support it but it must now become a reality, as should the establishment of a railway or metro line to the airport. NOT a Chinese-funded vanity project that runs on private rails and is only useful to someone seeking to travel to Nyugati station, rather the reorientation of existing rails to an underground airport station that benefits the capital, the provinces and those living close to the stations within Budapest that fall on the route(s).