Budapest’s Széchenyi Chain Bridge to reopen

The reopening of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest, Hungary, is one step closer after a live load test was carried out on 11 November.

Hungarian media report that the primary data showed the bridge performing well under the stress.

According to the city’s transport agency, BKK Centre for Budapest Transport, work on the bridge deck is due for completion by mid-December allowing for traffic to cross. However, work on the underpasses and pavement is expected to continue into 2023.

In mid-2020, BKK has received four tenders for renovation works on the  Széchenyi Chain Bridge and signed a deal with A-Hid contractor in early 2021. The local municipality of Budapest is to cover the cost of the project from its own funds, as well as from a loan and from a state subsidy. Last December, the final steel plate of the road deck was installed.

Renovations to the historic Széchenyi Chain Bridge and a nearby road tunnel have been long-awaited and at one time were shelved due to cost concerns.

The 380m-long, 14.8m-wide suspension bridge was built between 1839 and 1849. When opened, it was the first permanent bridge over the Danube River that connected the opposite towns of Buda and Pest – now the Hungarian capital. At the time, its centre span of 202m was one of the longest in the world.

The bridge has the official name of István Széchenyi, a major supporter of its construction, although it is commonly called the Chain Bridge.