Repair of key Budapest bridge hit by delays, cost overruns

The renovation of Budapest's Szabadság híd (Freedom Bridge) will involve an unexpected delay of two months and unanticipated costs of more than Ft 600 million (€2,400,000).

According to daily Népszabadság, the renovation of the bridge will be completed in December 2008, instead of next October as planned, due to the need to coordinate the work with construction of a station for the new Metró 4 line on Fővám tér, which is behind schedule. The additional costs will result from installation of floodlights to illuminate the bridge.

Before its renovation, the bridge - which crosses the Danube on the southern side of the city center - was considered to be the Budapest crossing in most dire need of repair. Now that designation belongs to the Margit híd, which the authorities say cannot be overhauled until the Megyeri híd, the Northern bridge of the M0 ring road, is completed, likely in 2010.

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