Sometimes a city’s development is best reflected not in new buildings, but in investments that make everyday life easier. A workplace that can be reached more quickly, a safer junction, a smoother road surface or a well-connected cycle path can often mean more than a large, spectacular development.
In Szombathely, the comprehensive modernisation of transport infrastructure has brought significant progress. The city’s economic zones have become easier and faster to access for businesses, commuters and local residents alike. Improvements to the road network have helped enhance labour mobility, strengthen employment and ease the burden on urban traffic.
One of the key elements of the EU-supported investment was the construction of the missing section of Ferenczy István Street. The new road link connected the areas around Körmendi Road, Szent Gellért Street and Jáki Road, significantly improving access to Szombathely’s southern and western districts. As part of the development, a roundabout junction was also built, making traffic safer.
The new road section also plays an important role in reducing traffic in the city centre. Part of the transit traffic is now diverted from residential areas to the new route, resulting in lower noise levels and more favourable environmental conditions in the affected districts. The modernisation works also covered other streets. The surface of Károly Róbert Street was renewed, replacing the previously sunken and cracked road surface with a modern, safer section for road users. Szőlős Street and a section of Kodály Zoltán Street were also renovated.
In the spirit of promoting sustainable modes of transport, pavements were built or renewed in several locations, cycle path connections were created, and bus bays and other elements supporting public transport were installed. The modernisation of rainwater drainage, improvements to public lighting and the landscaping of green areas were also part of the project, meaning the investment brought progress from both an urban design and environmental perspective.
With this development, Szombathely has created connections that bring its districts closer together, support the functioning of the local economy and make everyday life easier for everyone who sets out on the city’s roads day after day.
