Monthly Archives: May

On 26 May, a press conference was held at Krakow’s city hall for the last time before work begins. Representatives of the city authority and the contractor, Gülermak, summarized the work to date on the investment and the plan for green space around the new route.

– Kraków, like all major cities, is struggling with the negative consequences of climate change. It is extremely important to counteract the symptoms of these changes, such as flooding and waterlogging. Many parts of our city are becoming heat islands, so we are carrying out a number of different activities that reduce these problems. One of the most important tasks in this regard is the maintenance and even expansion of green areas, which is in conflict with investments that, by their very nature, involve the preparation of land for various types of facilities: cubic or linear. Our intention is that the investment should, on the one hand, achieve its goals – to connect important areas of the city that have so far been deprived of this kind of rail transportation, and at the same time that we do it in an environmentally friendly way,” said Deputy Mayor Andrzej Kulig.

The first preparatory work will begin as early as June, following the transfer of plots of land for the construction site to the contractor.

Broadcast:

Once the plots of land for the construction of the new connection to Mistrzejowice have been handed over, cleanup work will begin, preparing the site for the start of the main work. In the first stage, residents will face short-term and local narrowing of traffic lanes, sidewalks or bicycle paths along the entire project, as well as restrictions at the Polsad Roundabout.

It is impossible to start work without proper preparation of the construction site – removal of conflicting objects, organization of construction facilities or securing the site. From the point of view of traffic users at the stage of cleanup work, activities carried out on the outside of the road lane and in the roadway dividing strip will be important. The contractor will carry out tree cutting and demolition of objects, as well as the necessary network rewiring. They will proceed successively starting from the intersection of Mogilska, Lema, Meissnera and Jana Pawła II streets towards the terminus in Mistrzejowice, which involves local narrowing of the road lane or partial exclusions of pedestrian and bicycle paths from use. The work site will be properly marked and secured. Bus communication will function without changes. If necessary, existing bus stops will be temporarily out of service, and substitute stops will be designated in their vicinity.

In addition, the reconstruction of the stormwater drainage system will be carried out already during the initial construction period, with the aim of changing the drainage of the flyover over the Polsadu Roundabout. The traffic organization, which will be divided into several sub-stages, is shown in the diagrams below.

General rules of traffic organization during the construction of the Tramway to Mistrzejowice

• a minimum of 10 major phases of temporary traffic organization are planned, but each will be divided into sub-stages involving relatively minor modifications
• Almost throughout the construction period, traffic obstructions will occur in the area of the tunnel section, i.e. at the Polsadu Roundabout, on Młyńska and Lublańska streets; in other sections, restrictions will occur temporarily at various stages of construction
• separate traffic organization projects may include intersections to ensure their maximum capacity for ongoing work
• During the entire period scheduled for the execution of the works, the traffic of bus lines running along the construction site and vehicular traffic on the flyover over the Polsadu Roundabout (Bora-Komorowskiego Avenue) will be maintained
• individual projects of temporary traffic organization will be consulted and agreed each time with various institutions, including the police, the City Traffic Engineer, the road manager or the organizer of public transport
• Temporary changes in streetcar service through Mogilska Street and Jana Pawła II Avenue and reaching the Mistrzejowice terminus are planned for 2025

There is a green light to begin work on the construction of the tram route to Mistrzejowice. Following the handover of land by the Kraków City Roads Authority, the Private Partner will begin organizing the construction site and preparatory work. According to the current schedule, the new infrastructure will be ready by the end of 2025.

The project for a tram route to Mistrzejowice received permission for a road investment project (ZRID) on 9 May 2023. – Obtaining the ZRID is a milestone that will enable us to begin construction of the tram route. Like the residents, we have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” says Krzysztof Dziobek, contract director from Gülermak.

Changes to benefit users

Due to residents’ demands, the Public Entity recommended that the Private Partner make modifications to the original design. These resulted in, among other things, a reduction in noise intensity and the number of noise barriers. This was achieved by reducing the cross-section of Meissnera Street, which allowed additional space for green areas and plantings. In addition, thanks to the contractor’s commitment, it was possible to preserve an additional 200 trees that interfered with the planned infrastructure.

Earlier, the designers of the streetcar line extended the underground route under the Polsadu Roundabout and the Młyńskie Roundabout to more than 1.2 kilometers, and adapted it to serve the future “pre-metro”. The collision-free routing of the tramway at level -1 is important not only from the point of view of traffic organization at intersections, but also contributes to reducing inconvenience for residents. – The road to approval was bumpy, but the changes made took into account the needs of the local community and helped increase the benefits for all stakeholders,” Krzysztof Dziobek concludes.

In parallel with the design work, the Private Partner conducted negotiations to obtain financing for the construction and maintenance of the streetcar line for 20 years. The direct agreement signed in January by representatives of the parties to the project (Private Partner, Public Entity) and the financing institutions: European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Bank Pekao SA and the Polish Development Fund confirmed that the project meets the highest international standards.

Resident-friendly public transportation

Thanks to this investment, travel time from the northern part of Kraków to the center will be reduced by about 12 minutes, which will certainly improve the attractiveness of public transportation for residents. As a result, the projected car traffic on this route will be reduced. In addition, the safety of pedestrians and cyclists will be improved thanks to the adaptation of sidewalks and bicycle paths to current regulations. New plantings will appear along the entire route, and tree and shrub species will be specially selected for the demanding urban conditions. The project also includes the use of environmentally friendly technologies, such as energy-efficient LED lighting, track lubricators, “green stops” and “green track” using sedum mats.

First, the preparatory work

The start of the first works depends on the handover of the site by the Public Entity, which should take place in the coming weeks. After taking over the site, the Private Partner will proceed with the necessary preparatory work, which will take about 3 months. During this time, there may be local, short-term changes in traffic organization, of which residents will be informed in advance. In the next stage, work will begin on reconstruction of underground network collisions.

– In Kraków, we look at infrastructure projects in the long term. On the timeline, the implementation of the construction and the difficulties associated with it are only a prelude to a completely new stage of functioning of the revitalized areas. Although difficult, it is temporary and leads to a real change in the quality of life in the city,” says Jacek Majchrowski, Mayor of Kraków.

On 26 April, representatives of the KST IV project met with councilors of District XV to answer questions from both councilors and residents. Below is a summary of those questions and the answers given.

• When do we plan to start construction?

Work will begin once the construction permit (ZRID decision) has been received and the City of Kraków has handed over the construction site. We expect this to be possible later this spring. The first stage will include cleanup work along the entire planned streetcar line and the first translations of underground networks, with particular emphasis on work on the section of the future tunnel

• When will work begin in the Mistrzejowice district?

We will start with site preparation: coring, reinforcement and the necessary vegetation clearing. Basic work in the Mistrzejowice district, according to plans, will begin in the last quarter of this year.

• Is it possible to hold a meeting with the residents of District XV to get a better idea of the investment’s action plan?

The possibility of holding a meeting is negotiated.

• Will the work be carried out only during the day?

Much of the work will be carried out during the day. However, we allow for the possibility that some tasks will have to be performed at night.

• Are there plans to use grease traps near the curve on Krzesławicka Street?

Yes, lubricators will be used on this section.

• When do we plan to complete the work?

It is hoped that the works can be carried out on schedule. The planned completion date is the end of 2025.

Construction of Kraków’s new tram infrastructure is about to begin and will last 31 months. According to the signed agreement, the private partner is responsible not only for the design, raising funds from financial institutions and construction, but also for maintaining, upgrading and repairing the new infrastructure for the next 20 years.

The implementation of urban investments under public-private partnerships (PPPs) is an extremely advantageous solution. In addition to the construction of infrastructure, the private partner also has the responsibility to take care of its maintenance and modernization over the years, thus ensuring the continuity and high quality of public services. In addition, thanks to external financing, a greater number of projects can be implemented than if only public funds were used, which contributes to improving the quality of life of residents, stimulating economic development and increasing the attractiveness of cities.

What does this mean in practice?

In the case of the “Tram to Mistrzejowice” investment, the agreement obliges the private partner to ensure that the infrastructure it has built, including the tram track and the tunnel, is fully operational. As part of this task, it is also responsible for fixing any track malfunctions, such as damage or dirt on the tracks. Its tasks also include caring for the green surface of the streetcar track and the entire green belt in which it is located, such as the vegetation on the green tracks. It takes care of the city’s aesthetics by removing unauthorized posters, notices and inscriptions from network infrastructure equipment and from full track fences. Meanwhile, within the tunnel, the private partner must also ensure that the fire protection system, monitoring, lighting, escalators and elevators are in working order, as well as keeping an eye on cleanliness and clearing snow from the tunnel accesses during the winter season.

The public entity is responsible for water supply, sewage disposal, traffic management, maintenance of vertical and horizontal signage, and the efficiency of KKM machines.

The agreement also provides for an availability fee, which means that payments to the private partner during the maintenance period will depend on the functionality of the line being maintained and the speed at which defects are corrected.

What will happen after 20 years?

At the end of the contract, the private partner is obliged to ensure that the technical infrastructure meets certain requirements, e.g. no breakdowns, meets technical parameters in accordance with the law and standards.