Long-Awaited Motorway Project Connecting Western Regions to Restart

The government has once again promised to connect Zalaegerszeg (western Hungary) to the national motorway network. The Minister of Construction and Transport announced on Tuesday that although the city’s motorway development had previously been removed from the agenda, the projects have now been given the green light. Instead of Road 76, new, more realistic routes will be created.

The government has long promised to connect all cities with county rights to Hungary’s transport network via highways. However, Zalaegerszeg has been one of the exceptions so far – and not by chance: János Lázár himself had previously removed it from the agenda. Now, however, there has been a turnaround. According to the minister, yesterday’s meeting was crucial, with the Prime Minister and Mayor Zoltán Balaicz making it clear that the government still intends to fulfill the promise made to the residents of Zalaegerszeg.

The previously planned expansion of the whole Road 76 into a motorway has been removed from the agenda, as it would cause disproportionate environmental damage in the Kis-Balaton region.

Instead, there will be two new expressway connections: a new motorway concession on the Szombathely–Körmend–Zalaegerszeg axis and the continuation of the expansion of the Zalaegerszeg–Nagykanizsa route to four lanes.

This means that the city will be connected to the network from two sides in a north-south direction. In addition, the expansion of Road 76 to three and four lanes will continue where it is cost-effective and can be implemented quickly, thus reducing travel time from Szombathely, Nagykanizsa, and Lake Balaton.

The Zalaegerszeg motorway initiative follows last week’s announcement of the M100 project, designed to at last connect Esztergom (northern Hungary) with the M1 motorway.

The initial stage is planned to cover approximately 60 kilometers, and work could commence in the spring of 2026.

The investment will amount to HUF 400 billion (EUR 1.04 billion), although the construction work poses major challenges: four bridges and three tunnels will have to be built between Kesztölc and Esztergom, that could make implementation considerably more difficult. According to János Lázár, the investment will be carried out at a lower cost than originally estimated, while the M100 will be integrated into the existing concession system.

Via Világgazdaság, Featured image: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd

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