New bicycle path technically delivered

Technical delivery of the newly constructed bicycle path between Barcs and Drávatamási took place by end of November 2019. The new development is part of the cross-border project “EV13 Gap”, which is done in cooperation of the Town of Barcs and Virovitica-Podravina county from Croatia. One of the aims of the project was that by establishment of this new connection that Hungarian section of the EuroVelo13 route would be entirely bikeable. Closing conference of the project shall take place before Christmas, but plans for the future are also on the table.

The new cycle path is the project has been named after. So far there has been a “gap” in the Hungarian section of the bicycle route network along the former Iron Curtain (EV13), where the route was signposted on a hardly bikeable dirt road.

Besides the newly asphalted path – 2.3 m width, 9 km long – the development included establishment of a resting area. On the Croatia side signposting of the new connection between the Barcs border crossing and the Janković chateau have been carried out, and various developments on the chateau itself, including biker-friendly features. By these developments the Hungarian and Croatian network has been connected. The new infrastructure has been already tested by pupils on a competition and bloggers on a study trip. Future visitors will be helped by online information provision and bilingual printed maps in Hungarian-English and Croatian-English.

The project is not only in line with the development of the EV13 route, but also aim at the development of cycling infrastructure, services and promotion in the border area. Therefore new projects are currently under preparation. Barcs has already plans for a cycling and mobility centre next to the railway station, and development of a new cycling path connection between the river and the Drava Gate Visitors’ Centre in Drávaszentes.

The project „EV13 GAP – Filling the gap: completion of the cross-border section of EuroVelo 13 between Drávatamási and Virovitica” (HUHR/1601/2.1.1/0006) is implemented through the Interreg V-A Hungary-Croatia Cross-border Cooperation Programme, with co-financing of the European Union, in cooperation of the Town of Barcs and Virovitica-Podravina County from Croatia. Preparation of the project has been done by Logframe Consulting Office, in cooperation with VIDRA development agency, who are also responsible for management of the implementation. Whole project budget amounts to EUR 1,982,500, thereof developments on the Hungarian side amount to EUR 986,000, on the Croatian side EUR 996,500. 85% of the Hungarian budget is financed by the European Union,10% and 5% are the co-financing of the state and the project partner, respectively.