„ Green metro ”: The builders of the Metropolitan take special care of all the protected trees ; the 4th line of the Metro has arrived at the Rákóczi Square

Metro construction is a project of European standard from the environmental point of view, too. One of the key aspects of the construction of the Metropolitan is to avoid the felling of protected trees. For example the preferred construction technology of the Metro station at the Rákóczi Square was chosen in the design phase to avoid the felling of three protected plane trees.

The felling of trees in the Capital is subject to licensing including a special legal process, preliminary on-site assessment and approval by the district municipality. This is done in the interest of the citizens. Strict compliance with and sometimes sharpening of the strict environmental regulations has been and remains the key feature of metro construction.
No protected trees shall be felled on the Rákóczi Square
As early as in the design phase the location of trees was taken into account at the construction of the Rákóczi Square Metro station. There is no need to fell protected trees during the station construction. The Investor and the construction companies cooperate with the gardener of the area, FŐKERT Private Limited Company. Due to protected trees part of the station will be implemented using underground mining methods; therefore there is no need to excavate on the surface. This will increase the construction costs of the station indeed, but the conservation and protection of the environment is a priority in each case throughout the implementation of the Metropolitan project. The same applies to the preparatory works such as the reconstruction of the Béla Bartók Road. It is a well-known fact that the project literally skirted the protected trees, so no harm to any of them has been made.
The plans envisage the planting of 7 new trees instead of one
Currently there are 56 trees on the Rákóczi Square. Only trees that are not protected may be felled. By the information from judicial expert the felling of altogether 22 trees is envisaged, of which 17 would be felled anyway because of diseases and to prevent accidents. Due to the construction of the underground car park associated with the Metro construction up to 7 additional trees, altogether 29 trees need to be felled throughout the entire project including the ailing ones. The Investor will replace these trees by 213 new trees, a figure exceeding nearly seven times (!) the number of those felled. Experts say that the biological value of newly planted trees will exceed that of the felled ones in the first decade of their life, and this difference will only grow in the subsequent decades. In addition to the planting of new trees the areas affected by the construction will be renewed, new parks will be added, and the entire area returned to the city will meet the expectations of the 21st century.
Metro station construction on the Rákóczi Square – changes in the traffic
From the end of March the construction of the Rákóczi Square station of the 4th line of the Metro will gradually gain momentum. From March 22nd the utilities (sewer, water, telecom and electrical conduits) will first be replaced. In this period there will be no need for major closures. Local traffic redirections and temporary closures may occur. Following the completion of preparatory works the construction of station structure begins in May; the Rákóczi Square will be closed and the neighbourhood of the square will be closed for car parking.
The intensity of downtown traffic and air pollution is expected to reduce after the implementation of the metro. Upon the completion of the project a new fast and modern means compliant with the European standards will be added to the public transport of the locality. The construction of the Rákóczi Square station begins in March 2007 and it is expected to be completed in the spring of 2009. As usual, the DBR Metro Project Directorate will directly and in advance inform the affected residents and businesses about the expected changes by way of a flyer printed in several thousand copies.
The following traffic changes will be implemented gradually effective from March 22nd:
 Gradual closing of car parking on the Rákóczi Square (from March /April);
 Single unidirectional traffic lane available for car traffic on each side of the Square (from March /April);
 One-way traffic on Déri Miksa Street towards the covered market (from March /April)
 Temporary traffic redirection on the paired side of the Boulevard due to the construction of utilities (in April);
 One-way traffic along Vásár Street and its continuation along the Rákóczi Square toward the József Boulevard (from May)
 No entry of cars to the Rákóczi Square because of the one-way traffic along Kölcsey Street towards the Boulevard (from May)