THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ŐRMEZŐ EXIT OF METRO LINE 4 HAS BEGUN

With the temporary diversion of utilities, the Őrmező exit of the Kelenföldi pályaudvar station of Metro Line 4 and the reconstruction of a section of Péterhegyi road have commenced. The primary objective of these works is to provide direct connection between Őrmező and the new metro line, but the contractual scope of the contractor includes tasks that can accelerate the work of the winner of the Őrmező architectural concept design tender currently under way. According to the contract, the 3-billion forint investment is to be completed within a year; completion by that deadline is a precondition of starting the Test in Traffic Operation planned for the first half of 2014.

One of the most important surface reinstatements related to the M4 project is the construction of the inter-modal junction, the meeting point of several branches of transport, at Őrmező. Due the volume and complexity of the design work for the surface reinstatement project related to the Kelenföldi pályaudvar station of the new metro line, its city and transport development planning ramifications, the Municipality of Budapest, Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) and BKV Zrt. DBR Metro Project Directorate have announced an architectural and transport concept design tender. The design concept tender including the designs for a local and long-distance bus station, a 500-space P+R parking lot and a 120-space B+R bicycle store connected to the metro station exit is still in progress, the prolonged deadline for submitting designs is 4 March 2013. Further information on this project can be found on the website of Budapest Transport Centre (BKK).

The preparations for the inter-modal junction had been significantly delayed primarily due to land acquisition and city planning difficulties, but, among the surface reinstatement works in the vicinity of the M4 terminus, the Őrmező exit of the Kelenföldi pályaudvar station is an absolute must for starting the Test in Traffic Operation in the first half of 2014; it thus has to be completed by spring next year. In order to do so, BKV Zrt. had announced an open public procurement procedure in the autumn of 2012, and concluded the contract with the winning bidder, SMA 2012 Őrmező Consortium (members being STRABAG-MML Kft. and Magyar Aszfalt Kft.), on 1 February 2013, who had made the lowest offer (3 billion forints).

The contractor was provided access to the worksite, and commenced the work to last 53 weeks, little over a year, by temporarily diverting utilities a few days ago. The winning consortium is contractually obliged to build the exit structure and the ventilation outlet, reconstruct 800 metres of Péterhegyi road, functioning primarily as a service road, build a temporary local and long-distance bus station, and to complete the earthwork of the final bus station and the P+R parking lot - these last two elements of the contract are meant to accelerate the works resulting from the closing of the concept design tender.

The works that commenced in the past days are meant to connect the Őrmező area and the metro terminus. The new exit structure will be a continuation of the subway under the Kelenföld railway station already completed, and will lead to the surface exits and the future bus station and P+R parking lot. The lower level of the structure will house the ventilation system of the station, while its upper level will operate as a pedestrian subway. According to plans, the traffic burden of the housing estate and Péterhegyi road will not increase significantly.

Budapest Municipality
Budapest Transport Centre (BKK)
BKV Zrt. DBR Metro Project Directorate

Photos by Szabolcs Pető, DBR