ORG-EMP - Hit the road

Drégelypalánk and Ipel’ské Predmostie are administratively adjacent settlements but separated by the river Ipoly (Ipel) serving as the natural state border: Drégelypalánk is located in the district of Balassagyarmat (HU), while Ipel’ské Predmostie can be found in the district of Vel’ky Krtis (SK). 

Both settlements belong to the circle of small villages where aging population, migration, high unemployment rates, poor transport infrastructure conditions and inadequate accessibility to urban functions are the main features the region has to face. Despite the fact that they are situated in a transition economy zone small villages suffer insufficient cross-border road connections to the economy centres. Due to the river Ipoly inhabitants of Drégelypalánk and Ipel’ské Predmostie are forced to make bypass to get across the border. 

The project’s primer objective is to improve direct cross-border accessibility between Drégelypalánk and Ipel’ské Predmostie. 

Specific objectives:
1) decreasing travel distance, time and costs for the inhabitants, workers and employees 
Result: increase of transit traffic on the bridge and connecting roads, elimination of bypasses 
2) facilitating cross-border labour mobility
Result: increase in number of workers and employees working on the other side of the border; increase in number of regular commuters travelling across

The main output of the project is a 51,3 m long new bridge spanning over the river Ipoly between Drégelypalánk and Ipel’ské Predmostie, with a connecting road of 1017 m long on the Hungarian side, and a 410 m long road on the Slovak side.

Target groups benefiting directly: inhabitants of the two settlements, workers and employees, students, freighters (up to 3,5 t freight limit). Indirect target groups: public institutions, SMEs, agricultural producers (farmers) and suppliers, industrial and business parks.