M6: with seven-league stepsAround 4000 workers on motorway construction

29th October 2008

Új Dunántúli Napló – M.B.

The construction of the Szekszárd–Pécs motorway section advances according to the schedule, the delivery deadline is not in danger.

– It is a real challenge to construct the motorway so quickly – told András Rakita chief engineer of MCG on the walk held on the Baranya section – we knew what we took on, so the March 2010 deadline will be kept – he added.

The changes are obtrusive compared to our last visit in June. Starting from Pécsudvard towards the Tolna county border the embankments next to the motorway trace are rising high, they are almost finished, on some places they are even being put under grass with a special ’water cannon’ technique.

The base of the trace is completed almost everywhere, at certain places the first asphalt layers are lain. The construction of the intersections also goes on full blast, altogether 9 junctions will be constructed on the motorway.

The most scenic section is the one near Véménd and Szebény with the tunnels and viaducts. The Szebény viaduct will be almost 900 meters long. The nine pillar bridge will be completed with a special technique, the elements weighing 60 to 90 tons each will be ’pushed’ on their places one by one, with a special structure designed and constructed for this reason.

– Minor freezes will not cause any delay in the construction, there are certain techniques which make it possible to work under such conditions – told András Rakita – only a long and very cold winter could slow down construction work, what is not usual in Baranya.

Not affected by crisis

The financial crisis is not affecting the completion of the M6/M60 motorway, it will be delivered by the 2010 deadline – told the chief engineer of the constructor MCG to journalists on Tuesday at the walk held on the Baranya section. András Rakita told on the walk – held on the Szekszárd–Bóly–Pécs section – that they have not received any information so far regarding whether the financial world crisis would affect the financing of the project.

A structure by each kilometre

The M6/M60 motorway has a structure by each kilometre. Altogether 87 structures (9 viaducts, 79 smaller and bigger bridges, over– and underpasses) together with other edifices will be built. 75 percents of the cutting of the earthwork is done, the completion of the embankments is at 87 percents, the works with the protecting layers stand around 56 percents, and 20 percents of the pavement structure have been finished, too. In a year asphalt laying work should be finished according to the plans.

M6/M60 construction advances according to schedule

28th October 2008

Világgazdaság Online

Work and tunnel construction goes on at the M6/M60 motorway as scheduled – told András Rakita chief engineer on a presswalk held yesterday.

The M6/M60 motorway has a structure by each kilometre. Altogether 87 structures (9 viaducts, 79 smaller and bigger bridges, over– and underpasses) together with other edifices will be built. After 6 months almost 40 percents of the viaducts are ready.

The most important one among all of them is the viaduct of Szebény, which is the second largest one of Hungary by its 866 metres length. The longest distance between abutments of the nine-section bridge with straight line is 100 metres – 6 of such are following each other on the complete section of the bridge. This distance changes to 80 metres and 2x93 metres at the bridgeheads. The steel-box structure of the viaducts is based on piles made from consistent pillars. Engineers are testing this technology at the moment.

Box structure was also introduced. The biggest straight line of this will be exactly half as long (50 metres) as the viaduct of Szebény, and it will be moved to its place with a special technological solution, too.

As it was told by András Rakita, chief engineer, they are keeping the planned schedule with construction works on the sections of the motorway. 75 percents of the cutting of the earthwork is done, the completion of the embankments is at 87 percents, the works with the protecting layers stand around 56 percents, and 20 percents of the pavement structure have been finished, too. At certain sections the asphalt laying works have already been started, too.

Motorway constructed despite disintegration

30th September 2008

Pécsi Extra Hírek

László Puch socialist MP and András Rakita chief engineer of MCG held a press conference among other topics about the M6 motorway construction at Mohács on Friday last week. They emphasised that despite the tunnel disintegration work on the M6 goes on in a good pace.

András Rakita told that the second more detailed expert's report about the summer disintegration of tunnel 'A' near Bátaszék, and the possibilities of further construction is completed, and they hope to continue construction within two weeks. The trace and the technique will stay the same, the same Austrian tunnelling method will be used, but with different technical solutions. He emphasised that the motorway will be completed by the March 2010 deadline. After the National Traffic Authority will lift ban on certain parts of the tunnel construction work, they will work with several machines, from both sides of the tunnel with full power to catch up with the two months delay. On other motorway sections work is going on with full blast – the chief engineer told. The 70 percent of groundwork is done, 85 percent of the banks and 50 of the protective layers are ready, the trace structure is on 20 percent, which is a very good result by this time. The construction of all of the bridges and viaducts are also going on. András Rakita also talked about the archaeological explorations also causing delays in the construction, rich archaeological sites have been founded on the trace lately. Together with the Mór Wisinsky Museum of Szekszárd and the Janus Pannonius Museum of Pécs, they plan to open an exhibition from the artifacts found by the end of this year.

Asphalt lain on future motorways

25th September 2008

Metropol

Work reached a major phase on the Baranya County section of the M6/M60 motorway, constructed by Magyar Aszfalt. The eighty percent of the groundwork was completed by mid September, the final work phases of groundwork are done right now, just before the laying of the asphalt layer – told István Friedrich engineer of Magyar Aszfalt. In the mean time the preparation of the autumn and winter possible work phases are done, to keep the schedule, so far everything is on time. The winter technological plan will include those rules and regulation which will give the guidelines for the next work phases, for the most important phases, where the keeping of the deadline makes it reasonable will be done during winter weather also.

Increasing investment mood

23rd September 2008

Pécsi Hírek

Investment mood towards the city is definitly increasing – told Tibor Gonda deputy major after he met businessman of a conference, who travelled back from Pécs to the event held in the capitol with concrete investment thoughts on their mind.

Pécs also represented itself on the Property conference organized in Budapest, with an English and Hungarian language portfolio. A group of businessman interested in the city of Pécs were hosted by deputy mayor Tibor Gonda, who added that they try to take every good opportunity like this to represent Pécs. The motorway construction, the Expo Center, the industrial park, and the airport had been shown to the international group of businessman, coming from Slovakia, the Check Republic, Croatia, Spain and also Hungary.

Such events are like only showing the menu, to make some appetite, despite this two of the businessman left Pécs with concrete investment plans in mind. A Slovakian company was interested in the construction of downtown business hotels, and a Budapest based Spanish group asked for certain project data.

According to Tibor Gonda the interest of investors towards Pécs is increasing, thanks to the European Capitol of Culture project, and for the construction of the motorway.

Will we be able to drive on an ideal way to Pécs?

M6/M60 motorway will be ready by spring 2010

19.00 08.08.2008.

www.autohirek.hu

They are on schedule with building the Szekszárd - Bóly - Pécs section of M6/M60 motorway, except the tunnels, and the motorway will be ready by the deadline – told the chief engineer of the constructor Mecsek Construction Group (MCG) on Friday.

András Rakita reported the journalists on the construction site inspection that 52 per cent of the earthwork is done and 70 per cent of the bridge posts are standing. Professional and authority inspections are being made in connection with the recently caved 'A' tunnel. The technology of the further construction of the tunnel will be decided after when these are closed.

They are not working by the tunnels at the moment, but they will go on with at, as soon as the problem is solved – keeping the deadline is not only an economic need, but it is a social must too, because of the European Cultural Capital program 2010 of Pécs – told András Rakita.

The 81 kilometre-long motorway section is being built within a so-called “PPP-financial construction“, with a Ft 266.1 billion investment among its structural elements there are 4 tunnels, 9 viaducts.

During the constructions 7.5 million cubic meters of soil will be moved and 900,000 tons of asphalt will be used. Rakita adds that besides the motorway construction 300 thousand square meters public road will be reconstructed or being built on a new track. sifts.

Furthermore 500 thousand square meters of other covered or stabilised dirt road are going to be built to ensure the access to the motorway.

Croatian tunnel builders

Hungarians, Germans and Austrians work on the construction of the Szekszárd - Bóly - Pécs motorway section

9th June 2008

Népszabadság

Work goes as scheduled, in a good pace, on the Szekszárd-Bóly-Pécs section of the M6/M60 motorway. Handing over will be at the end of march 2010 - told András Rakita chief engineer of Mecsek Construction Group (MCG).

Nearly 400 Austrian, Hungarian and German workers do their job on the above mentioned motorway section. The tunnels are constructed by the help of Croatian specialists. Work is done in three sifts.

We met András Rakita chief engineer of MCG, in Tolna County, near Bátaszék, where construction work of the 48 kilometres Szekszárd -Bóly motorway section is taking place. The motorway will be a two by two lane, two way one, including emergency lanes and will have five new intersections. In the region just above Bátaszék, 4 tunnels, 55 structures, like bridges and viaducts, and three rest places will be constructed, together with the operation and maintainance centre, near Bátaszék. The longest, 880 meter viaduct will be constructed at Szebény, in Baranya county.

The tunnels altogether will be 3 kilometres long. All of them have been already named, the longest one with its 1331 meters is Bátaszék, tunnel Geresd will be 400 meters long, both sides of tunnel Baranya will be more than 850 meters, and tunnel Véménd will be 418 meters long. During the construction of these tunnels 500 million cubic meters of loess was mined. Than the tubes were strengthened with steel reinforcement, and then it was covered with a so called shotcrete coating. The grossness of this reinforced concrete shell will be 35 centimetres on top, and 65 centimetres on the bottom of the tunnels.

The Visitors Center near Bátaszék was also completed few days ago, where groups visiting can take a look at the models of the tunnels, drawings and films of the construction.

Before the start of the construction, the state of all real estate in the settlement involved were measured, to run the possible compensations in the future smoothly.

Good progress at M6 construction

24th May 2008 - 22:25

Pécsi Újság.hu

Work have been going on full throttle at the construction of the Szekszárd-Bóly-Pécs motorway sections, since preparation work begun six months ago. The constructor consortium was able to keep schedule so far, and gave opportunity for the unemployed of the neighbouring settlements to work.

Groundwork is done on 81 kilometres, on the whole motorway section, scaling work goes on at the Bátaszék and Geresd tunnels, and poling of the bridges and viaducts started - told András Rakita chief engineer to Pécsi Újság.hu. Mixer plants have been completed at Szekszárd, Bátaszék, Szajk, Olasz and Lánycsók. Despite the ongoing archaeological work on some places, the consortium is able to keep the planned schedule.

Around 200-250 intellectual workers - engineers, managers - and 600-700 physical workers do their job regularly on the construction, with an additional 100-150 people needed permanently, time to time. About the average salary of these workers we received no information. As mayors told, the construction brought a boom seen long ago into the life of these settlements, houses, rooms are rented, and the unemployment was also solved.

The only bad thing about it, is the construction traffic, on the otherwise already run down public roads, constructed several decades ago. János Váradi, mayor of Véménd was also complaining about the heavy construction traffic, but despite this, he backs up the construction, which brought life into the neighbouring settlements. The specialists of the Public Road Authority, and the consortium are very fair, they made a study before the construction started, and all damages in roads or houses, made during the construction will be compensated, and repaired.

This is confirmed by the staff member of the consortium also, they already had certain cases in Nagypall, Szellő, Kisnyárád, Véménd, Máriakéménd and Feked in Baranya County, and at Szálka, Őcsény and Alsónyék in Tolna County.

M6 construction also brings buzz

16th May 2008 - 19:31

Dunántúli Napló-Attila Babos

From time to time several thousands of people work on the construction of the M6 motorway. These workers need food, some after work entertainment, and a place to sleep. All these needs are satisfied in the neighbouring settlements.

In the settlements, on the trace of the new M6 motorway life is buzzing: rooms are rented for a good price, business is growing in shops, restaurants. The luckiest settlements are the ones where some industrial investment, connected to the motorway construction also arrived, raising the income of local municipalities.

This happened last time when the M3 motorway was constructed. Still the motorway alone does not mean development, you need to think further - said József Tóth mayor of Polgár, one of the winner settlements of this motorway construction. There is a need for flexibility from the municipality, and a mid, long range development plan for the settlement, and all problems can be solved with precise contracts, like the ones in Baranya also, which were set up by an independent advisor, for compensating road damage caused by construction traffic.

Adél Pusztai, mayor of 2600 inhabitant Görbeháza, talked about the impact of the motorway construction. Despite the fact that the settlement has no direct connection to the motorway, they profited from the construction itself. People were able to get a job in the asphalt plant established, or on the construction, let out houses long time empty, and local shops have more buyers.

As far as it seems, more and more working hands will be needed for the motorway construction in Baranya, as we know 800 to 1000 constant workers are needed, and 2000 to 3000 temporary workers will be employed by the consortium.

The representatives of Magyar Aszfalt, subcontractor of Strabag AG., filled up empty rooms with construction workers in neighbouring settlements, usually above the market price. The village of Versend is among the winners, a stone mine will be opened there on Monday, which was closed in the sixties - said Károly Körtési, mayor of the village. As he knows, the mine will be open not only for the 22 months of the motorway construction, but for the 6 to 10 years followed, giving workplace for locals and more income for the municipality also.

János Marczi, mayor of Olasz also hopes to get several times higher income for the local government, from the cement mixer plant established, and an asphalt plant planned, than in the past years.

A raise in real estate prices

Csaba Horváth independent real estate adviser, helping in appropriations, said that as he remembers all property involved, were bought several times above the market price. Prices can go up by 20 to 40 percent in midrange, but these are guesses only, nobody can measure the exact effect of the motorway construction on real estate prices in the future. Houses, rooms available were all rented out on the trace of the motorway, and above the market price for sure.

Constructor helps to keep transportation roads secure

Sensational treasure found on M60 motorway construction

12th May 2008, 06:55am

stop.hu

Sensational artifacts have been founded on the trace of the M60 motorway construction: a neolit age cemetery was unearthed, rich in jewellery, coins and other side artifacts, what are outstanding in whole Europe. In the southern section of the motorway, a viaduct was redesigned to help to preserve a roman villa, very similar to Aquincum, the one in Budapest.

Archaeologists work intensely on the sights, on the northern section of the M6/M60 motorway construction - told Károly Belényesy to stop.hu, the archaeological manager of KÖSZ, responsible for the coordination of the work. On the northern section 28 significant sites have been found, from different ages. Remains of churches, cemeteries, and an outstanding coin finding from the 14th century have been unearthed already. The coins, several thousand Wienna Dinars, found hidden in a pot, are under examination in the laboratory now.

On the southern, Szekszárd-Pécs section of the motorway, only two bigger archaeological sites have been established - Belényesy told - because the excavation of this area have been previously done, more than 27 sights have been found. Still some very important artifacts are under archaeological excavation now, like the neolit age cemetery, very rare in Europe, where works because of a gas pipeline were postponed until now.

The municipality have to provide 100-150 million forints each year for maintainance of the airport, which was completed in the middle of the 90s, to serve the region as a business airport, since motorway construction was not taking place at that times. The municipality is looking for an investor, who would spend 2,5 billion forints on modernizing the airport, if it makes sense at all.

- Despite the rainy spring we had, which held up earthwork, on few occasions, construction is on the planned schedule on the Szekszárd - Pécs section of the M6/M60 motorway, and will be completed by the 31st of March 2010 - said András Rakita of Mecsek Construction Group. Work is in progress on the whole 81 kilometres length of the section, where a 7,5 cubic metres of land will be moved by the end of the construction and Altogether, around 1.5 million square metres of pavement will be laid. The Szebény viaduct will be the longest one, with its 830 meters out of the 87 bridges planned. At the Baranya section of the motorway 6 intersections will be built.

Rakita said, that they are aware of the heavier traffic caused by the construction, in nearby settlements, and they will help the locals by completing the bypass roads as soon as possible, so the construction traffic will take place outside the settlements.