Upgrade work on the Hungarian capital's Chain Bridge will be underway by May, according to Napi.hu, a Hungarian online business news portal.
The bridge, officially the cast iron suspension Széchenyi Lánchíd, was built in 1849 as the first permanent bridge across the Danube River in Hungary. Although it was designed by English engineer William Tierney Clark and built by Scottish engineer Adam Clark, it was named after István Széchenyi, a major supporter of its construction.
Four local companies have tendered for the repair work - Strabag Altalanos Epito, SDD Konzorcium, Kozgep Epito- es Femszerkezetgyarto and A-Hid Epito. A winner is expectedc to be chosen early next year.
Upgrading has been at least two-years in the planning to improve the 380m-long, 14.8m-wide bridge. Cost issues have hampered renovation planning
At the time of construction, 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.
The bridge was updated and strengthened in 1914 but during World War Two it was destroyed in January 1945 by the retreating German occupation army. It was rebuilt by 1949 and remains as one of only two surviving two bridges designed by William Tierney Clark. The other is the suspension bridge over the Thames at Marlow, England.
