Pedestrians to be banned from Chain Bridge, Budapest
The current state of Budapest’s most famous location, the Chain Bridge, is getting more critical day by day. It has been emphasised several times that the full renovation of the bridge is inevitable and must start as soon as possible, as the years, and especially the August 20 fireworks, caused severe damages to it.
Világgazdaság reported that it cannot be estimated when the corrosion of the bridge’s metal structure would worsen even more, but the idea that even walking on the bridge could be dangerous is not out of the question. Although the ban on 5-tonne and heavier vehicles crossing the Danube on the Chain Bridge has been introduced, experts still estimate that soon pieces of metal and concrete could fall from the structure.
This is extremely dangerous for pedestrians, drivers, cars driving under the bridge, and even to ships on the Danube.
The corrosion of the bridge’s metal structure has reached a critical stage, and with the upcoming summer season and the current heavy rains, it could turn worse. Euronews reported that the government of Budapest has 506 million EUR in government securities, but it is still questionable whether the money would be used for the August 20 firework celebration or the renovation of the Chain Bridge.
- Hungarian government to spend more money on celebrating a national holiday than renovating the Chain Bridge
- Chain Bridge renovation- Will it be postponed?
- Surprising plans on the renovation of Chain Bridge, Budapest
On September 21, 2021, the country will celebrate the 230th birthday of Count István Széchenyi, whose visions made the Chain Bridge a reality. For this reason, many politicians believe that the renovation of the bridge is a cause for the entire nation.
Magyar Hírlap reported that the mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, should have started the project eight months ago, but nothing has happened since then, not even negotiating or signing a contract. As corrosion is close to destroying almost 80% of the bridge’s structure, delaying the project makes it more expensive by the day.
Featured image: www.facebook.com/spiceofeurope
Renovation of Budapest Chain Bridge cannot wait any longer!
In 1949, the Hungarian capital celebrated the reconstruction of Budapest Chain Bridge, which had been dreamed up by the „greatest Hungarian”, István Széchenyi, 100 years earlier. Its renovation was indispensable 75 years ago after the retreating Germans blew up the bridge on 18th January 1945.
READ MORE HERE
Fidesz official urges renovation of Chain Bridge
The condition of the Chain Bridge is deteriorating, its renovation must begin without delay, the leader of ruling Fidesz’s Budapest chapter said on Thursday.
Zsolt Láng told public broadcaster Kossuth Radio that pieces in the bridge’s structure might start to come off posing danger to ship traffic and vehicles on the riverbank, citing reports by experts.
Read alsoJobbik, Socialists urge Chain Bridge revamp project
He said that Gergely Karácsony, the city mayor, had agreed in January to go ahead with the iconic bridge’s renovation, but has failed to take any concrete steps on the matter ever since.
Láng said Karácsony “is using the Chain Bridge as a political tool in the fight against the government”.
The Chain Bridge is a landmark of Budapest, it is the mayor’s responsibility to immediately start its renovation, Láng said.
Láng said the government has already earmarked 6 billion forints (EUR 07.3m) for the project in addition to the 17.3 billion set aside by István Tarlós, the previous mayor.
Read alsoHungarian government to spend more money on celebrating a national holiday than renovating the Chain Bridge
“The Budapest municipality has a budget of 300 billion forints which means it has sufficient resources to start the renovation,” Láng said.
Jobbik, Socialists urge Chain Bridge revamp project
The conservative opposition Jobbik urged an agreement between the government and the metropolitan council to allow the revamp of Budapest’s iconic Chain Bridge to start without delay and the leftist Socialists said they would ask Budapest residents whether they would opt for the bridge’s revamp instead of this year’s Aug 20 fireworks.
Jobbik MEP György Szilágyi told a press conference on Wednesday that an agreement free of political bias was needed and people were not interested in the dispute between the government and the city council. All affected parties must work together in order to ensure that the bridge is preserved for the future, he added.
Szilágyi said the billions of forints allocated for the Aug 20 fireworks could be used by the cabinet on the revamp project instead.
He added that right after the first wave of the novel coronavirus epidemic and ahead of a possible second wave, “it might not be a responsible decision” to hold a mass event.
Budapest leader of the Socialists Zsolt Molnár told an online press conference on Facebook that
the party would set up plexiglass voting boxes throughout Budapest in the next few weeks where the city’s residents can express their opinion on the proposal to spend the 8 billion forints allocated for the fireworks on the bridge’s revamp instead.
The proposal can also be supported on the party’s website, he added.
Hungarian government to spend more money on celebrating a national holiday than renovating the Chain Bridge
The government wants to spend less money on renovating Budapest’s very own Chain Bridge, which has been in questionable state for years, than what they aim to spend on a 3-day-festival in August. People are outraged, demanding that they use the money for something more useful.
24.hu reports that
the Hungarian government plans to spend 6.5 billion Forints (18.7 million Euros) on celebrating the 20th of August (firework costs not included) while offering 6 billion Forints (17.2 million Euros) for the renovation of Budapest’s most iconic symbol; the Chain Bridge.
20 August is the National Holiday of The Foundation of The Hungarian State. In honour of the holiday, the government wants to organise not only a 3-day festival in the heart of Budapest but Europe’s biggest lights- and fireworks show ever. The government sees this festival as a sort of “restart” for Hungary after the coronavirus.
Many people are outraged by the government’s stance of frivolously spending millions of Euros on a huge party when that money could be used for more important causes. One of these causes could be the renovation of the Chain Bridge, which has been postponed for years due to the lack of funding.
We reported in January 2020 that inspections warranted the introduction of severe weight restrictions on the Chain Bridge, which has not been renovated since 1986. The Budapest General Assembly decided in 2002 that the bridge’s bearing load must be brought up to appropriate safety standards. Practically nothing happened since then due to the lack of resources. Budapest city council has about 17.3 billion Forints (49.7 million Euros) allocated to this project, and they repeatedly told the government that the 18 million Euros they initially offered would not be enough. The government and the city council have been meeting and discussing the issue for months.
Many from the opposition believe that these 18.7 million Euros should be spent on protection measures against the coronavirus and helping those families that lost their jobs due to the epidemic. Others simply want the government to rethink their decision, use the money for something more useful, and find another way to celebrate the national holiday.
Read alsoBudapest against holding August 20 fireworks near Chain Bridge, says Mayor Karácsony
Budapest against holding August 20 fireworks near Chain Bridge, says Mayor Karácsony
The Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, has said his administration opposes holding fireworks on or around the capital’s iconic Chain Bridge on the August 20 national holiday.
Karácsony wrote on his Facebook page on Monday that the engineering report in connection with plans to renovate the bridge indicated that
fireworks over recent years had contributed to the structure’s deterioration.
He accused the Fidesz government of planning to “occupy half the city” for its own propaganda purposes between August 15 and 20.
Karácsony said the central government would spend more on spectacles during the national holiday than its proposed contribution to the bridge’s renovation.
“Six billion forints for Chain Bridge; 6.5 billion for the parade, and that doesn’t even include the cost of the fireworks,” he wrote.
The Government Information Centre said in a statement in response to Karácsony’s Facebook post that a series of events were being planned over several days to celebrate St. Stephen’s Day, with a view to boosting domestic tourism.
Events will include a gastronomy festival, open-air concerts, a St. Stephen’s Day parade, waterfront concerts, and family programmes.
“The aim is to celebrate Hungary’s birthday,”
the statement said, adding that people working in tourism, hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, were receiving government assistance.
Central government funding for the renovation of Chain Bridge is still available, the statement added.
Hungarian government calls for urgent renovation of Budapest Chain Bridge
The state secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office for Budapest welcomed Wednesday’s consultations with the city’s leadership on the renovation of the city’s landmark Chain Bridge, but warned that any delay would significantly increase the costs of the project and the time period of lockdown.
Balázs Fürjes told MTI that they had learnt half a year ago from Mayor Gergely Karácsony and a status report prepared by a group of engineers that the bridge is in a critical condition and would need immediate renovation.
“Since then, however, we have not received any further information from the municipality about the project so were surprised by the mayor’s announcement in May on the city’s decision to postpone the renovation indefinitely,” he said.
The state secretary noted that the government office asked the city leadership in a letter three weeks ago to clarify the situation but has not received any response ever since.
In fact
On June 5, Karácsony said in a statement that his office had postponed the next meeting of the Budapest Public Development Council and that he had personally informed Gergely Gulyás, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, of the decision.
The reason given for the postponement was that the draft budget for 2021 would deprive local councils and the metropolitan administration of vital resources, thereby creating uncertainty regarding the capital’s development and operations.
Budapest, the statement said, would become a net contributor to the state; namely, central subsidies for the capital would come to less than the payments of Budapest taxpayers into the central budget.
Once the government’s intentions have been clarified and the budget negotiated, a meeting of the Public Development Council for Budapest may take place, the statement said.
Budget
Fürjes welcomed that
the two sides finally met on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
The state secretary said the renovation of the Chain Bridge falls in the scope of the municipality but the government is ready to support the project. He added, however that the renovation should start as soon as possible and that the government “cannot support any further minute’s delay”.
“The government will help the work of the mayor with 6 billion forints (EUR 17m) and experts, if he so needs,” Fürjes said.
Gergely Karácsony in response said that the city’s leadership considers Chain Bridge “a national treasure” and will renovate it at all cost.
“Renovating the bridge may crush Budapest financially because the central government is about to take from the city as much funding as it would be enough to renovate the bridge at least once every year,” he said on Facebook.
Chain Bridge renovation- Will it be postponed?
The state secretary for the development of Budapest and the metropolitan area has asked the city’s mayor to clarify his position regarding the renovation of Chain Bridge.
In a letter to Gergely Karácsony, Balázs Fürjes expressed surprise over the mayor’s announcement on Facebook on Thursday of the city’s decision to postpone the renovation project indefinitely.
Read alsoSurprising plans on the renovation of Chain Bridge, Budapest
In the letter, a copy of which Fürjes sent to MTI on Friday, the state secretary quoted Karácsony as saying publicly last December that “the renovation cannot be postponed any longer” and in January this year that it “cannot be delayed for too long”.
Fürjes also referred to Karácsony banning heavy vehicles from using the bridge “in order to prevent the further deterioration of its condition”.
Fürjes said Karácsony’s recent announcement was “in sharp contrast” to his earlier statements and to the recommendations of an emergency status report prepared by engineers at the mayor’s request last December.
Read alsoBudapest Assembly votes for review of Chain Bridge reconstruction plans
He said Karácsony gave the government a copy of the report indicating its conclusion that the renovation could not be postponed any longer, given that the bridge “is in very poor condition”. Highlighting the severe corrosion of the iron structure, the report said that any delay would drastically increase costs and could ultimately eliminate the option of renovation.
Fürjes asked Karácsony to confirm the information regarding the bridge’s current condition and inform his office whether the report is still valid or if a new report has been drawn up.
He said it was important for the government to know since it has already earmarked 6 billion forints (EUR 17.2m) to support the renovation.
Surprising plans on the renovation of Chain Bridge, Budapest
Constructions and road works are constant in the central parts of Budapest to form the city into a modern shape. In the past few weeks, a surprising idea came up regarding the budget of the renovation of the Chain Bridge.
Daily News Hungary reported before that the renovation of Budapest’s iconic bridge cannot wait any longer. It was reported at the beginning of the year that the bridge is in poor condition again. It is not surprising as bridges are usually designed for 100 years, whereas the steel structure of Budapest Chain Bridge was renovated more than 100 years ago.
Read alsoRenovation of Budapest Chain Bridge cannot wait any longer!
Népszava reported that the original project would include the renovation of the bridge, the Buda Castle Tunnel, Clark Adam Square, Széchenyi Square, and the tunnel of tram line two under the bridge’s structure. It was reported that Budapest does not have the financial background to undertake these works, and although Gergely Karácsony, the major of Budapest, requested more from the government, the cabinet of PM Orbán rejected it. The only remained solution was cutting the project’s budget and the renovation of the Buda Castle Tunnel was removed.
The leadership of Budapest came up with an unexpected idea to decrease the budget which includes bringing the track of tram line two between Eötvös Square and Széchenyi Square (with a similar structure that Kossuth Square has) up to the surface and demolishing the tunnel under the Chain Bridge.
Read alsoWeight restrictions on the Chain Bridge take effect today!
After leaving Eötvös Square, the tracks would turn at the building of the Ministry of Interior, heading towards in front of the Gresham Palace (Four Seasons Hotel Budapest), lead straight ahead and connect back to the old tracks by turning at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The tunnel would be demolished or revamped into a pedestrian zone.
The drawback of the plan includes that the tracks would cross the road leading to the bridge and cause more traffic congestions and slowdowns for the already problematic transportation in the city centre.
The leadership of Budapest only discussed and examined the plans regarding tram line two but have not decided yet whether to make it real or not. If the plans are accepted, the budget of the renovation of the Chain Bridge would decrease significantly.
The project was estimated to require approximately 8 to 10 billion HUF (23-29 million EUR) and would require careful and time-consuming work. The government of Hungary originally offered 7 billion HUF (20 million EUR) for the project.
Read alsoNew procurement procedure for revamping Chain Bridge prepared
Featured image: www.facebook.com/spiceofeurope
Budapest Assembly votes for review of Chain Bridge reconstruction plans
A municipal review of Chain Bridge reconstruction plans aimed at cutting costs got the go-ahead from Budapest city lawmakers on Wednesday.
The Budapest Assembly accepted a proposal by Gergely Karácsony, the city’s mayor, to reassess the project won through a public procurement tender, as well as the conditions set down in the tender, with 19 votes in favour and 3 abstentions.
Karácsony said that
given the urgency of refurbishing the bridge itself, the original plan to revamp the Castle Tunnel nearby at the same time may have to be reconsidered.
Read alsoRenovation of Budapest Chain Bridge cannot wait any longer!
Meanwhile, the assembly also passed amendments regarding procedural rules that
Karácsony insisted would make the assembly’s operations more democratic while broadening citizen participation.
He said the changes also aimed to fortify the assembly opposition’s right to examine laws and procedures and to improve transparency.
The amendments were accepted with 18 votes in favour, 6 against and 7 abstentions.
Zsolt Láng, the leader of the Fidesz-Christian Democrat group in the assembly, insisted, however, that the draft regulations failed to “ensure basic democratic rights while curbing councillors’ rights”. It also allows the mayor to chair meetings in a “strongly authoritative manner” while running afoul of the law on local authorities, he said.
Several amendment proposals of the opposition had been incorporated into the draft.
Also, in a unanimous vote, the assembly allocated 35 million forints (EUR 104,000) for a monument to women raped during the world wars.
The proposal declares that gang rapes by Soviet troops during the second world war “are a part of our collective memory” and this was treated as taboo during the communist era. The memorial aims to “create a space to process the trauma and remind future generations of things that should never happen again,” the proposal signed by Karácsony said.
In a separate development, the assembly has approved a proposal to order a new feasibility study for the Romai embankment along the Danube in the city’s northern Csillaghegy bay area, and cancel on environmental grounds an earlier plan to place the main dyke near the riverbank. The assembly supported this with 19 votes in favour, 2 against and 6 abstentions.
Last November, the assembly introduced a ban on making changes to the Római embankment in order to maintain professional and social dialogue to decide the necessary flood protection measures.
The new feasibility study will be expected to include an analysis of various locations for a new dyke.
Until a final solution is found for flood protection in the bay, the Metropolitan Sewage Works will carry out this task, if necessary by raising the level of the current dyke.
Read alsoWeight restrictions on the Chain Bridge take effect today!
Renovation of Budapest Chain Bridge cannot wait any longer!
In 1949, the Hungarian capital celebrated the reconstruction of Budapest Chain Bridge, which had been dreamed by the „greatest Hungarian” István Széchenyi 100 years earlier. Its renovation was indispensable 75 years ago after the retreating Germans blew up the bridge on 18th January 1945.
In 2020, the bridge is in poor condition again. It is not surprising as bridges are usually designed for 100 years, whereas the steel structure of Budapest Chain Bridge was renovated more than 100 years ago. Those steel components that remained intact during the Second World War were taken out of the Danube and reutilised for 1949’s reconstruction.
According to Adrián Horváth, leader of the constructing group responsible for the renovation project –
„we are pretty much in the eleventh hour”.
He also revealed that the last comprehensive restoration work on the bridge was realised in 1988. Since then, the ink used at that time has become unable to provide even the minimum corrosion protection.
Therefore, the renovation cannot wait any longer; otherwise, one of the best-known Hungarian symbols will teeter on the edge of collapse.
Read alsoWeight restrictions on the Chain Bridge take effect today!
Read alsoGood to know: Areas around Chain Bridge to be revamped
Therefore, the reconstruction of the bridge is urgent. However, the question is: what to do with it? Can it be used as a road bridge later on, or given to the pedestrians, or converted into a combined bridge?
According to the Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, people must be asked to make a decision.
According to István Tarlós, former Mayor, the Chain Bridge cannot be used as a footbridge as tourists cannot enjoy the panorama due to the chains and holders. This is true. On the other hand, the Chain Bridge has the smallest traffic of all Budapest bridges, so it is the one that could be converted into a footbridge.
As the Hungarian news portal atv.hu reports, the idea is not supported by the Urban and Suburban Transit Association; according to which, the bridge is indispensable in the case of BKK buses, ambulances and firefighters; regarding taxis, the introduction of tolls might be considered.
The question is: who takes responsibility for the renovation project – the government or the capital?
What makes the situation complicated is that the bridge pertains to the capital; therefore, Capital Management would be responsible for the renovation. Still, it has no financial resource to realise the project; whereas the government does not want to finance it. As a result, the parties are pointing fingers at each other, without stepping forward.
According to the expert, the bridge is in such a bad condition that renovation must be carried out even if it will work as a footbridge in the future.
Weight restrictions on the Chain Bridge take effect today!
The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) announced that there would be restrictions introduced regarding the iconic Chain Bridge of Budapest. From this day on, vehicles above 5 tonnes, such as tourist buses and trucks, will not be allowed to cross the Chain Bridge.
The new regulation does not pertain to public transportation, such as BKK’s buses, and bikes, cars, vans, and smaller buses can continue to use the bridge, Index reports. The bridge’s structure is inspected every single day. According to recent status reports, more severe weight restrictions need to be established, hence the new regulation.
The Chain Bridge has not been renovated since 1986. The idea of a revamp first emerged in 2002. In 2017, the Budapest General Assembly decided that the bridge’s bearing load must be brought up to appropriate safety standards, according to the reasoning given for the project. All 28 representatives voted to approve the 22-billion-forint (72 million euros) project covered by the city’s own resources. According to the original plans, the renovation would have started in June 2017 and would have been finished by December 2019. Work never actually started due to the lack of resources.
Read alsoBudapest to renovate Chain Bridge, castle tunnel
Last May, finally, a tender was open for the reconstruction, but then-mayor István Tarlós deemed all applications too expensive.
Now, the newly elected mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, claims that the revamp project still lacks about 20 billion forints (60,600,000 Euros). Unfortunately, according to the status reports, reconstruction can no longer be put off.
Karácsony said that the project needed to be redefined, and the bridge’s function also needs to be thought over once again. Index guesses that if there is no budget for the reconstruction, the bridge might become a footbridge in the future.
New procurement procedure for revamping Chain Bridge prepared
The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) has begun preparations for a new procurement procedure for revamping the capital’s iconic Chain Bridge.
The renovation project is expected to start this autumn.
In a statement on Monday, BKK said the government had decreed that the bridge spanning the Danube should not undergo any fundamental changes, so BKK is withdrawing the previous procurement tender that included broadening its pavements.
Under the new procedure, simultaneous renovation of the tramline under the Széchenyi Square and the tunnel beneath the Castle District will begin this autumn.
The government is providing 6 billion forints (EUR 18.5m) of support to the capital for the project.
In addition, planning for renovation of the public areas around Chain Bridge, the Clark Ádám Square and the Széchenyi Square has also begun.
Széchenyi Chain Bridge in the Top 10 Most Beautiful Bridges of the World!
Good to know: Areas around Chain Bridge to be revamped
Areas on both sides of Budapest’s iconic Chain Bridge will be revamped at a cost of 1 billion forints (EUR 3.1m), a sum previously allocated for widening the bridge (a project that has since been scrapped), head of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás and Budapest Mayor István Tarlós said in a joint statement on Friday.
The government initially allocated 6 billion forints for revamping the bridge and decided last October to provide an additional 1 billion forints for widening the bridge’s paths, the statement said.
Examinations carried out by experts of the Budapest Technical University revealed that expanding the pedestrian paths would require an additional strengthening of the bridge structure and this would raise the cost.
In line with a proposal by the council for the development of public areas, the government decided on Tuesday to scrap the expansion project and spend 1 billion forints on revamping areas on both sides of the River Danube instead, the statement added.
Reconstruction of the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle Tunnel to start in October
According to the Budapest Festival and Tourism Centre’s report, the reconstruction works of the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle Tunnel are going to start this autumn between October and November and finish in the spring of 2021.
[button link=”https://dailynewshungary.com/szechenyi-chain-bridge-is-in-the-top-10-most-beautiful-bridges-in-the-world/” type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Széchenyi Chain Bridge in the top 10 most beautiful bridges in the world![/button]
PestBuda reported that the reconstruction works have two major parts. First, the tunnel of tram line 2 and its surface will be renovated. In the second part, architects start the renovation of the Buda Castle Tunnel, Ádám Clark Square and the bridge itself. Every single part of the bridge will be renovated or renewed, including the road, sidewalks, structural elements, lighting and the stone lions as well.
Experts stated that the traffic on the bridge remains after the reconstruction works end.
The capital’s oldest bridge will get wider sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and pedestrian underpasses as well. On the Pest side, tram stations Széchenyi Square and Eötvös Square will also be renovated. New and environmentally-friendly LED lamps will be installed which, besides the regular lighting, will be able to use different colours on national holidays and celebrations.
The Buda Castle Tunnel will receive the same LED technology besides the renovated and broadened sidewalks and a brand-new bicycle zone.
Here are the plans for the reconstruction of the Chain Bridge and the Castle Hill Tunnel
Part of this investment is to examine the condition of the quay near Vigadó Square and to create a modern and stunning square to bring the community together and to harmonise Budapest with the Danube.
Chain Bridge refurbishment to take 18 months
The planned refurbishment of Budapest’s landmark Chain Bridge and the adjacent tunnel should not take more than 18 months, the municipal assembly unanimously decided on Wednesday.
Budapest Mayor István Tarlós told the assembly that the government will contribute 7 billion forints (EUR 22.7m) to the project, while the city has budgeted 16.4 billion forints for the purpose.
Talks with the government have been initiated to get extra funding to ensure that the bridge and its surroundings can be renewed simultaneously, Tarlós added.
Apart from refurbishing the bridge and the tunnel, the project will cover the reconstruction of Clark Ádám Square at the western end of the bridge and an underpass at its other end, on the Pest side.
Budapest’s Chain Bridge renovation: Hungarian government to provide EUR 21.4m
The government will provide 7 billion forints (EUR 21.4m) in supplemental central funding for the renovation of the Chain Bridge and the Castle Hill Tunnel, as per the request of the Budapest metropolitan council, Gergely Gulyás, head of the Prime Minister’s Office, said on Friday.
At the same time, the cabinet asks that
the renovation should not take longer than a year and a half to finish, Gulyás said at his regular press briefing, adding that though this criterion would require serious organising, it was feasible.
He noted that the renovation works would also cover Széchenyi Square on the bridge’s Pest side.
[button link=”https://dailynewshungary.com/10-interesting-moments-history-chain-bridge/” color=”purple” newwindow=”yes”] 10 INTERESTING MOMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHAIN BRIDGE – PHOTOS[/button]
As we wrote few weeks ago, Will Smith celebrated his stay in Hungary by climbing up to the top of the Chain Bridge and filming a video. This happened on the last day the singer-actor spent in Budapest, making his stay in Hungary absolutely memorable, read more HERE.
Gulyás also announced that the electronic road toll would rise by 5.8 percent from January 1 with the extra revenue going towards a “village road fund” that will allow the government to develop the country’s least developed village roads.
The price of 10-day motorway vignettes will rise to 3,500 forints from the current 2,975 forints, he said.
Socialists demand speedier renovation of Chain Bridge
The opposition Socialist Party has called on Budapest mayor István Tarlós to drum up the resources necessary for speeding up the planned renovation the capital’s iconic Chain Bridge so that the project takes place over 2.5 years instead of five as originally planned.
Socialist representative Csaba Horváth told a press conference on Wednesday, before a special session of the municipal assembly, that Budapest residents pay 20 billion forints (EUR 62.5m) in taxes each day, and the mayor should seek a quarter of this amount from the government in order to accelerate the renovation project.
Also, referring to today’s main item on the assembly’s agenda, the flood defences along the Danube, the Socialist politician repeated a demand that an alternative plan to the discredited one to build a mobile levee on the Római banks of the river should be strengthened.
For that matter, Budapest’s metropolitan assembly approved a plan for a flood defence system along the Római banks of the River Danube.
The plan for defences in parallel to the banks of the river was approved with 20 votes for, 8 against and one abstention.
István Tarlós, the city’s mayor, said the chief objective was to ensure that the area around Csillaghegy is protected from flooding. Eight expert opinions had been sought but no solution existed that would satisfy everyone completely, he added.
A Párbeszéd party representative said at a separate press briefing today that the current plan for flood defences was environmentally unsound. Márta Naszály said the proposal to construct defences parallel to the Danube was unacceptable. Earlier an agreement had been made on plans involving two streams in the area, she said, adding that these should be implemented as soon as possible.
She also suggested that, when it comes to renovating Chain Bridge, it was worth examining whether the bridge should be eventually be restricted to pedestrians and cyclists.
In addition, Naszály proposed that Budapest should stipulate that sightseeing buses be electric vehicles only.
Featured image: Bódis Krisztián / Budapest Images/ www.facebook.com/budapestimages/
Chain Bridge to be in traffic chaos for up to 7 years
According to 444.hu‘s report, plans frequently change in Budapest, the Hungarian capital. In February this year, the idea was to renovate the Chain Bridge, the tram tunnel on the Pest side of the bridge, the Buda Castle Tunnel and Adam Clark Square all at the same time. Since then, these projects have been moved further away from each other in time, presumably because of lack of money.
Change of plan
Originally, all renovations were planned to be complete in only three years, meaning the bridge would have had to be shut down only until 2021. However, the schedule has changed since then. Chain Bridge is expected to be renovated between 2018 and 2021, from a sum of 11.1 billion Forints (about 35 million EUR). The tram tunnel requires 5.2 billion Forints (16 million EUR) and is expected to be completed by 2020. Renovating the Tunnel would start only in 2021, lasting until 2024, using 5.7 billion Forints (19 million EUR), while works on Adam Clark Square would take place between 2023 and 2024, requiring a sum of 392 million Forints (1.2 million EUR). The new plans mean that the bridge in the city centre could not be used for 7 years.
According to the new plans published in April, Chain Bridge and the tram tunnel under István Széchenyi Square will be renovated between September 2018 and June 2019. The budget planned is 16.4 billion Forints (52 million EUR).
Deadline or budget for the renovation of the Tunnel or Adam Clark Square have been omitted, and these projects got renamed as the 2nd phase of the process.
Why is the delay a big deal?
Many might believe that the number of years the bridge will be closed down is only important to citizens complaining about losing their comfort for a while. However, since Budapest is planning to invest a lot of money (709 million EUR) in the project, it actually does matter how long the renovation will last.
The point of such a project is to improve the situation for citizens and commuters. The benefits usually last for about 30 to 40 years, but, if the people regularly using that route have to bear seven years of inconvenience, then up to a fifth of what is gained could be lost.
The too slow, maladministered works resulting in traffic jams and worsened conditions would lessen the profits significantly.
The situation of the local government
The outrage caused by the renovation of metro line M3 urged the capital to add further lifts to the project between 2018 and 2023, for which they needed a 5.6-billion-Forint budget (18.7 EUR). This news is a major improvement to the project, even if it means that the money will probably come from the sum assigned for the renovation of the tunnel. The two budgets are about the same, so it is no wonder that completing one of them will take a few years longer.
Most of the tasks and resources of the local government have been taken over by the Hungarian government. The projects the local government still has authority over include BKK (Budapest Transport Centre), BKV (Budapest Transport Company), tending to parks and dealing with traffic issues. The hands of the local government are tied; basically, all their funds have been spent on projects up to 2020.
The capital cannot get a loan because it is already seriously indebted. The government took on some of these debts, in exchange for having the authority over when and what kind of loans the local government can apply for.
This means that often loans for the projects favoured by the government get approved or that certain business circles are needed to succeed.
The current state of the bridge
The life expectancy of the ferroconcrete elements is about 100 years, with other main parts expected to last around 30 years. So, this renovation will determine for a long time what traffic will be like on the oldest and most well-known bridge of Budapest. Because the plan is to rebuild the old structure, that might not be such good news.
On most days, constant traffic jams cover the bridge, and the sidewalks are full of tourists. Since there is no pedestrian crossing, tourists always cause trouble crossing the street through the warped barriers on both sides of the bridge.
Doing this legally requires a small excursion to get to the other side of Széchenyi Square, and to reach the pedestrian way leading to the Basilica, the only option is to make an illegal shortcut.
Since tourists are a major income factor for the capital, it is especially sad that thousands of them have to deal daily with such sorry conditions at such a major sight of the city.
Is it necessary for cars to pass through the bridge?
According to information from BKK, around 20 thousand transport units pass through the bridge both ways each day, and buses are reported to have 14-15 thousand passengers. Transportation engineers consider cars to be one unit, with an average of 1.2 passengers, while a bus counts as 2.5 units, with the 14-15 thousand passengers mentioned. So, what this means is that
around 37 thousand people cross the bridge, 40% of whom use public transport.
However, because of the constant traffic jams, the buses of the area are very unreliable. Many people choose to go a different route instead of waiting for them or enduring the elongated journey time. So, considering this, if almost half of the people crossing the bridge choose to use public transport despite the poor conditions, major improvements could be made by focusing on developing this aspect.
It is interesting to consider what effect only letting buses, taxis and bikes onto the bridge would have. It would not necessarily be bad news for cars, either, since traffic jams really slow them down on both sides of the bridge.
Not to mention the decisions bikers have to make – only those with enough confidence and experience dare risk slalom through the vehicles, beginners and children have to resort to the narrow sidewalks, which is unacceptable.
Nevertheless, BKK already declared that there would be no changes made on the bridge, not even a slight widening of the sidewalks. Only traffic signs indicating the new 40 km/h speed limit will be added, as a weak attempt to protect cyclists – somewhat lessening the glorious expectations stemming from the promise of the 11-billion-Forint budget (35 million EUR).
Slight improvements planned
Several superficial solutions have been hinted at. The new underpass under Adam Clark Square will be slightly wider, but not wide enough that it will not be dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists to pass each other, still requiring the 10 km/h speed limit restriction. The only well-developed idea for improvement has been said in connection with the Buda Castle Tunnel.
The whole ventilation system is planned to be replaced so that people choosing to walk all the way through will not run out of air. However, these plans have been postponed for an undeclared period of time.
A new cycling path will also be built coming from Pest to Buda. Towards the Danube, where the road goes downhill anyways, new cycling trails will be added.
Original plans
However, there are still many unanswered questions. Neither BKK nor the local government provided any explanation as to why there was no attempt to get in on a loan scheme, for example. It would have been worth a shot in order for the renovations to happen around the same time.
It seems pointless to shut down the Chain Bridge for 5 to 7 years first, then to shut down the Tunnel, all the while only making superficial changes.
The capital has spent a fortune on getting the plans for the renovation done. News broke out already in 2011 that Széchenyi Square could get a new facade – nothing has happened since and it is likely that nothing will be complete by 2021, either, 10 years after the initial news appeared.
The plan was to have cars turn directly onto the bridge in the direction of Attila József Street, eliminating the initial big circle.
This way, half of the Square would be relieved of traffic, making room for more green areas. Not to mention how much easier it would be for tourists to have a direct route between the bridge and Pest city centre.
There were plans to renovate the coast of the Danube between Kossuth Square and Fővám Square, too. No progress has been made since 2016, though. None of the winning ideas such as traffic alleviation, more green areas or more direct connection to the Danube seems close to implementing their positive effects. The local government declined to give any information about the progress of this project.
Interesting is the fact that the proposed plan also mentions a garage to be built under the MTA (Hungarian Academy of Sciences) building. Hopefully, though, that was just misspelt, and there are no actual plans to start digging under the building. The government remained silent on this issue as well, so there is no information about who is behind the plans and how big the garage would be.
The building of another underground garage on József Palatine Square has already incited heated debate. It seems pointless to create more parking spaces in an area where traffic jams are already frequent.
The new spots would just attract more vehicles, worsening the situation. Another sore point of the project is that there seem to be no plans to improve public transport.
With a 22-billion Forint (70 million EUR) project that is likely to determine the traffic situation of the capital for the next 30 years, that seems like a waste.
A possible silver lining for the taxpayer, however, could be that with all the delays going in, there will probably be ample time to reconsider the decisions over and over again.
Until the renovated Chain Bridge gets done, let’s look back on its most interesting moments in history!