After the successful opening of the Pest embankment to cyclists and pedestrians in the summer of 2020, the City of Budapest launched an online questionnaire to assess how locals felt about its future. In all, 75% of respondents said they would prefer the riverside to be given over to recreation rather than car transport, while 21% sided with motorists.
What is certain is that the embankment will be renovated, also supported by the people of Budapest. The greatest demand was for small piers to be installed on the Danube, along with green areas and rest spots, plus the creation of surfaces suitable for cycling and scootering. An unobstructed quay was also a popular request.
In November 2020, several NGOs wrote a joint letter to the mayor asking
him to ban cars from the lower quay and to create a public park integral to the
city centre. The aim of the RAK-PARK project (rakpart meaning ‘embankment’) is to review the traffic rules now
unchanged for decades and the functions of public spaces in the area.
This
development should improve conditions for cyclists and pedestrians, and replace
old pavements. Environmental considerations are also imperative.
At the end of March 2021, BKK started the public procurement process, meaning
the final planning phase for the initiative is now official. A contractor will
be responsible for preparing the modified renovation plan as well as obtaining
the necessary construction permits.
The approved plan for the riverside
promenade, between Kossuth tér by Parliament and Fővám tér by the Great Market
Hall, is expected to be completed by summer 2022.
Construction will take place
in two phases: the first in the autumn of 2023 and the second in the summer of
2024.
