ROAD 55

The project is a major project allocation under the Regional Accessibility Co-Financing framework loan and consists of the rehabilitation of approximately 70 km of Main Road 55 (2x1 lanes) between Baja and Szeged in Hungary and the construction of a 7 km bypass of Mórahalom.

Road 55 is located on the comprehensive TEN-T road network. The road has both local and strategic functions serving towns and villages along the route and wider transit traffic – principally between Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Romania. The rehabilitation of Road 55 is expected to provide travel time savings, improve journey time reliability and reduce vehicle operating costs for road users and reinforce its local, regional and strategic role.

The project was included in the Transport Operational Programme 2007-2013, National Transport Strategy and the National Spatial Plan. All were subject to strategic environmental assessment according to Directive 2001/42/EC. The project – both the rehabilitation sections and new bypass construction – are classes of development that fall under Annex II of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU. The project was screened out of further assessment and a full EIA procedure was not required. A screening on nature conservation areas was also undertaken. The project has received environment decisions by the national competent authorities.

The promoter is a public entity obliged to comply with the European and national public procurement legislation. Works, design service and supervision contracts were procured for the four project sections and lots. The contracts were published including in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), in accordance with Directive 2004/18/EC, using open procedure, and were awarded on lowest price.