Major renovation of Gogol Street begins Monday in Szeged

News

Feb 1

The complete renovation of Gogol Street in Szeged will begin on Monday, starting with the removal of deteriorating Japanese pagoda trees. The full-scale reconstruction will follow at the end of the school year. Originally planned with EU funding, the city will now finance the project due to frozen funds.

The aging Japanese pagoda trees have caused significant damage to sidewalks with their sprawling roots, while their oversized canopies have, in some cases, damaged roof slabs. To restore the street’s greenery and shade, 107 new trees will be planted, and 1,000 square meters of green space will be created. The redesign follows the model of the successful renovation of Gutenberg Street, where newly planted trees have already matured.

The renovation plans were detailed at a press briefing on January 31 by Deputy Mayors József Binszki and Sándor Nagy, who were joined by László Makrai, managing director of the city’s environmental management company.

The reconstruction will also include resurfacing the road with asphalt and building intersections and sidewalks with clinker bricks. József Binszki, who also represents the downtown district, confirmed that traffic-calming measures, such as lane shifts, will be implemented at residents’ request.

Tree removal will be carried out in three phases over five weeks. Since the trees cannot simply be felled, they must be carefully dismantled in sections, extending the timeline. According to László Makrai, work crews will begin early in the morning, and vehicles parked in active work zones will be towed. Parking restrictions will apply only where work is actively taking place.

The reconstruction is designed with climate-conscious solutions, including a rainwater management system in which rooftop runoff is collected in special reservoirs and gradually absorbed into the soil. Officials see this as a model project that could be replicated elsewhere in the city.

While tree removal is set to conclude by March, the remaining construction will wait until the school year ends to minimize disruptions.