Continuing Budapest’s overall renovation efforts that have brought about major improvements to the city’s monumental landmarks and infrastructure – including Margaret Bridge, the Várkert Bazaar, and major squares (such as Kossuth, Nyugati, and Széll Kálmán) – Budapest Mayor István Tarlós told participants at the May 19th AmCham
Business Forum that he supports a structural refurbishment of the Chain Bridge, as well as revamping the nearby Buda Castle Tunnel that runs beneath the Castle District, originally built soon after the Chain Bridge was completed.
Additionally, as part of the large-scale renovation projects laid out in the city’s “Budapest 2020” and “Budapest 2030” plans, the M3 metro line upgrade remains a priority, according to Tarlós – but once this essential endeavor is achieved, city officials can turn their attention to other pressing refurbishments. Mayor Tarlós sees the rehabilitation of long-ignored Blaha Lujza Square as a crucial necessity, as this bustling District VIII transportation hub becomes increasingly important to overall Budapest expansion. And while the Cogwheel Railway in the Buda Hills (operating since 1874) is less crucial to daily life in the Magyar metropolis, Tarlós supports its expansion to eventually carry passengers directly from Széll Kálmán Square to the freshly renovated Normafa hilltop recreation area.
Other planned city refurbishments for the near future include structural improvements for the Gellért and Széchenyi
Baths, and establishing better flood-protection infrastructure along the Danube Banks and Margaret Island. The funding for some of these projects – including the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle Tunnel improvements – would rely on a 92-billion-forint loan from the European Investment Bank, Tarlós said.
