Impact study
In Hungary, no significant infrastructure project can be commenced today without a professional environmental impact study prepared: neither industrial plants nor sewage treatement plants, shopping centres nor motorways. In compliance with a legislation adapted in 1995, preparation of an environmental impact study is an important element in the authorization process of Metro 4. The summary thereof was prepared by late 1999 by the company Mélyépterv Kultúrmérnöki Ltd., winner of the tender procedure. This impact study, prepared with significant professional background, investigated the planned metro alignment out of all environmental viewpoints.
Starting from the present situation, the analysis investigated three future possibilities: on the one hand, the potential environmental impacts of metro construction works, and on the other hand, what is to be expected in the phase of operation. Another scenario to be examined is the assumption that the metro line will not be constructed and the transport problems of the area concerned will have been resolved in some other way. According to the final conclusion of this investigation and following comparison of the benefits to possible detrimental impacts, advantages of the metro construction are the efficiency, environment protection and transport, which by far outreach possible minor disadvantages.
Main results of the impact study are detailed hereunder:
- Characteristics of the population concerned
- Condition of social services
- Condition of economic services
- City image and architectural values
- Buildings and other facilities
- Surface settlements and displacements
- Sensitivity, bearing capacity of and risks related to engineering structures
- Natural-geographical conditions
- Hydrological conditions
- Hydro-geological environment
- Soil mechanical conditions
- Seismic impacts
- Impacts on ecosystem (animals and plants)
- Investigation of the impacts of motor vehicle traffic related to construction works
- Impacts of Metro line 4 on air purity during operation
- Health impacts
Conditions of noise protection
- Noise effect of construction works
- Direct noise effect of the operation
- Communal wastes
- Production wastes during operation
- Production wastes during construction
- Monitoring the existing condition (status) of underground waters
- Monitoring the condition of underground waters during construction
- Monitoring the condition of underground waters following start of operation
- Minimum necessary measurements
- Elements, measurement devices, methods and measurement frequency of the monitoring system