The lower embankment in pest between Margit Bridge and Kossuth Square is to be renovated with 787 million HUF state funding. The government transferred the funds to the city council at the end of last year per an agreement reached within the Budapest Public Works Council. – the Secretary of State for the Development of Budapest and agglomeration within the Prime Minister's Office wrote on Facebook.

Balázs Fürjes also noted that the public procurement tender for the project was published on Friday.

“Our goal is clear: to rebuild the embankment and create a continuous promenade along the riverbank. This section will be connected to the path north of Jászai Mari Square and Kossuth Lajos Square near the Parliament building from the south," the Secretary of State wrote, adding that the beautified areas would benefit residents and visitors alike.

Mr Fürjes emphasized that both sections to the north and south had been completed with government funding in the last decade. Adding that the continuation of the work showed: "our commitment to the development of Budapest has not changed." Balázs Fürjes noted: using the same furniture and elements as those used for Kossuth Lajos Square the promenade will run continuously from The Duna Arena to the Shoes on the banks of the Danube memorial to the south of the Parliament.

 

 The lower embankment in Pest between Margit Bridge and the Parliament will be renewed (Photo: Balázs Both/pestbuda.hu)

A new treeline will be added to the path between Jászai Mari Square, the offices of the National Assembly and Olimpia Park. A new pavement will be added to the embankment ramp near Jászai Mari Square. The current pedestrian crossing at Olimpia Park will be moved to the south.

According to Balázs Fürjes, the 2x1-lane roadway will remain in a narrower form. Pedestrian surfaces will replace most parking spaces. This will open possibilities for decreasing traffic along the embankment. The Secretary of State emphasised that the agreement for the state funds was finalised in 2017.

Mr Fürjes added that the urban development forum of the government and the City Council had finalised the technical details of the renovation. Talks are still ongoing regarding the possible development of the southern section of the embankment from Kossuth Square to the Bálna building. This is one of the projects that the government offered to take over from the city council in October last year.

According to the plans, the construction will start in June and be completed by 31 December 2021 (Photo: Balázs Both/pestbuda.hu)

The government tied the transfer of funds to the acquisition of building permits granted in December 2020. The state funds were transferred in January 2021.

Mayor Gergely Karácsony also expressed his opinion on the embankment's renovation after the public procurement tender was published. Writing on Facebook, the Mayor said that the city council was continuing the pedestrian-friendly renovation of the Budapest embankments by creating this 500-metre missing link between Jászai Mari Square and Kossuth Square.

The embankment from Margit Bridge (Photo: Balázs Both/pestbuda.hu)

Mr Karácsony wrote that the plans for the renovation reached his office in early 2020. However, as these reflected the demands of the city's previous leadership, the plans were changed. The traffic-regulated area was increased, wider pavements added, the guardrail removed from along the roadway. The trees were also changed to be planted in the ground rather than urns.

Gergely Karácsony said that while the existing road will also be renovated a new 4–5-metre-wide promenade will be created, the speed limit in the area will also be reduced to 30 km/h.

The appearance of the promenade will match that of Kossuth Square. Thirty-five trees will be planted as part of the work. The retaining wall at Markó Street will also be rebuilt – in line with monument protection laws – to allow more space for the promenade.

He also noted that, although he remained committed to improving cycling conditions in the city, the bottleneck in this section of the embankment means that a cycle path cannot be added to the area. As a result, cyclists will continue to use the upper embankment.

Gergely Karácsony announced that an open public procurement tender for the construction works was published on Friday. Construction is scheduled to begin in June this year and is scheduled to be completed by 31 December 2021.

The Mayor's Office announced that bids could be submitted until 10 am, 17 March.

The announcement noted that the original plans were created in connection with the Budapest Swimming World Cup. As the plans did not reflect the goals of the current leadership, they were remade – the MTI wrote.

Source: MTI

Cover photo: Lower embankment to be renovated between Kossuth Square and Margit Bridge (Photo: Balázs Both/ pestbuda.hu)