Recently, we have often encountered lane closures due to road repairs on the busiest highways. This is part of a comprehensive plan, under which MKIF Zrt. is bringing the expressways it took over on September 1, 2022, to a uniform technical standard. Over three years, more than 500 kilometers will be renovated; here we present what happened this year.
By May of this year, the Hungarian Concession Infrastructure Developer Ltd. had replaced the pavement over more than 100 kilometers and 870,000 square meters. Based on the data, work has been completed on 33 sections across five different expressways (M1, M3, M7, M30, M35). On the M7, five sections totaling 40 kilometers have been renovated since March. Significant structure renovations also occurred here, with 18 bridges being updated. During the vacation period, there will be no planned works between Budapest and Lake Balaton this year. On the M7, the pavement is being replaced over more than 1 million square meters. The updated sections of the M7 are: - Between Balatonaliga and Siófok, 8 kilometers, - In the Kőröshegy area, 6.5 kilometers, - Near Balatonszemes and Balatonlelle, 5.3 kilometers, - In the Sávoly area, 2 kilometers, - Between Petrivente and Letenye, 8.4 kilometers. On the M3 highway, eight sections were renovated in the spring, totaling 360,000 square meters, and six bridges were also updated.
The locations of the works are: - Between Füzesabony and Szihalom, 6 kilometers, - Between Szihalom and Mezőkövesd, 8 kilometers, - In the vicinity of Szentistván, Mezőkeresztes, and Hejőpapi, 0.5 kilometers, - Between Mezőkeresztes and Gelej, 8.5 kilometers, - Between Polgár and Görbeháza, 10 kilometers, - In the Kálmánháza area, 4.5 kilometers. The spring works also affected the M35 highway: - Near Debrecen-Józsa, 5.3 kilometers, - At the Debrecen-Ondód exit, sections of 1.4 and 1.3 kilometers. On the M1 highway, smaller-scale works already took place this spring: - Between Bábolna and Bőny, 7 kilometers, - Between Bicske and Óbarok, 0.9 kilometers, - In the vicinity of Tata, Kisigmánd, and Győr, on smaller sections. This year, MKIF Zrt. will replace the worn pavement on at least 350,000 square meters of the M1, amounting to approximately 100 lane kilometers. As last year, works are organized to avoid planned activities during the peak transit traffic in August. In 2024, there will be upgrades on nine expressways, including sections of the M1, M3, M7, M30, M35, as well as the M4, M8, M15, and M70. The comprehensive program, which is Hungary's largest expressway renovation, started last year.
The renovations will cover 538 kilometers between 2023 and 2025. Based on the concession contract of MKIF Zrt., work is required on 43% of the 1,237 kilometers of expressways. In the first year, pavement was replaced on 3.6 million square meters, using half a million tons of asphalt. This year, pavement replacement will occur over an additional 3.9 million square meters, and 110 bridges may also be renovated. This year, works may affect rest area roads and junction ramps, with temporary closures. MKIF Zrt. regularly informs travelers about the current works through ÚTINFORM, its website, and Facebook page.
