Debrecen4U August 1, 2025

Debrecen prepares for the school season with accelerated roadworks at key intersections

As the start of the school year approaches, Debrecen is intensifying efforts to ease traffic at several major intersections currently under renovation.

According to Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Construction and Transport József Pántya, delays are primarily caused by utility relocations, while the expansion of Sámsoni Road is hindered by unresolved property acquisition issues.

The city is undergoing significant infrastructure upgrades, including the recent opening of the Debrecen-Fatér station and a new facility at the Macs Industrial Park Terminal. Meanwhile, four major junctions are being redeveloped: Erzsébet Street–Szoboszlói Road–Külsővásártér, Balmazújvárosi and Füredi Roads, Csigekert and Szabó Lőrinc Streets, and the intersection of Vámospércsi Road, Hétvezér, and Budai Nagy Antal Streets. The last site, the Vezér Street junction on Route 354, is also under construction.

The Deputy State Secretary emphasized that while utility infrastructure is in place at most downtown sites, unexpected complications—such as mislocated pipelines—have slowed progress. On Szoboszlói Road, utility work is now complete, and the focus is on completing a 600-square-meter concrete bus lane by September to restore normal operations at the bus station in time for the start of the school year.

The Erzsébet–Szoboszlói–Külsővásártér junction is scheduled for an 18-month construction period, though Pántya hopes it will be completed earlier, possibly by spring 2026. At the Balmazújvárosi–Füredi and Csigekert–Szabó Lőrinc junctions, utility relocation is expected to be completed in August, with major roadwork commencing in September or October. The goal is to reopen surrounding streets to residents by autumn and to improve traffic flow by the start of the school term.

A fifth planned development, the Ótemető–Rakovszky intersection, is set to enter the public procurement phase this week.

The  long-standing challenges with the Sámsoni Road (Route 471) expansion were also highlighted. Despite payment being made, the ministry was unable to take possession of a key property at the Acsádi Road junction, which is central to the project. Once the property is secured, the ministry estimates seven months will be needed to complete the work. Until then, efforts continue to optimize traffic conditions, but full completion hinges on resolving the property issue.

Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: debrecen.hu