Transport minister confirms Budapest ring road delay

The 26.5 km long section of the M0 ring around Budapest - between highway M3 and route 4 - will definitely not be ready by the end of November as scheduled. According to Economy and Transport Minister János Kóka, the delay is due to the length of time needed to negotiate with the 10,000 owners of some 3,000 plots along the section. The earliest deadline possible is some time in the first half of 2008.

The new section, 85% if which is being financed from EU cohesion funds, will be surfaced with concrete rather than bitumen, said Kóka. Concrete is 25% more expensive but does not have to be replaced for 25 years, rather than 7-10 years for bitumen.

Construction of this section and the adjoining Megyeri híd over the river Danube is a priority because without it, urgent renovation work on Margit híd cannot begin. The bridge is expected to be closed to cars for more than a year, but buses and trams will continue to operate.

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