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More and more school streets may be established in Budapest in the future to make the area around institutions safer and more livable. In addition, further developments in the existing 17th district will also help create a child-friendly environment.
At the end of May, the Capital decided to make Budapest more child-friendly by creating so-called school streets. The School Street Program, which has been launched in the capital since then, aims to make the immediate surroundings of schools safer, more livable and more community-oriented.
A school street is a road section that is closed to car traffic for specific periods of time – typically during the morning and afternoon peak hours – so that children can arrive at institutions in a calmer, healthier environment. The concept, developed based on international examples, is not only a traffic safety measure, but also a child-friendly urban development tool based on community cooperation.
The first pilots of the program, coordinated by BKK, were launched in September 2025. The aim is to develop long-term sustainable solutions based on the experiences of the trial period, to which schools, local communities and local governments will all actively contribute.
A successful example in Rákosliget
The trial period started in September in front of the Gregor József Primary School in District 17, and was extended from the originally planned two weeks to four weeks in order to gain as much experience as possible about the everyday use of the school street and the related impacts. Based on parent questionnaires, on-site observations and community feedback, the district decided to finalize the school street. However, the experience also pointed out that further developments are necessary in the school environment in order to ensure smooth operation.
On a section of the street next to the Rákosliget school, the district initiated the covering of an existing ditch, which serves safety and practical purposes. K+R (Kiss and Pá) parking lots are being developed in the area so that parents arriving by car can safely drop off their children and then continue their journey after a short stop. The example of the 17th district clearly shows how the school street can be an urban development tool that responds to the needs of local communities.
Source and photo: BKK.hu
