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The third month of construction of the tramway to Mistrzejowice is behind us. We started work on the construction of the underground stop “Polsad Roundabout” and prepared the area for the new traffic organization. What else did we accomplish in September?

The third month of construction of the tramway to Mistrzejowice is behind us. We started work on the construction of the underground stop “Polsad Roundabout” and prepared the area for the new traffic organization. What else did we accomplish in September?

Earlier this month, on September 7, the first Construction Council was held with the participation of the public and journalists, at which the construction management summarized the progress to date and announced upcoming work.

In mid-September, preparations for the construction of the underground stop “Polsad Roundabout” began. First of all, we focused on performing the necessary control digging and preparing the working platforms for the deepening machine.

We also continued the reconstruction of sewer, water, telecommunications and energy networks.

Until the end of September, we conducted visual inspections of buildings and apartments located in the project’s zone of influence. We inventoried nearly 500 apartments.  

What are we doing in October?

At the beginning of October, we began sinking more than 20-meter-deep trenches near the Polsad Roundabout and creating the first diaphragm walls of the underground station.

Starting October 21, a new traffic organization will be in force. There will be closures and narrowing of road lanes on Lublanska Street, Młyńska Street, and Bora Komorowskiego Avenue, as well as changes in the relationship with priority of travel or sectional exclusions of pedestrian and bicycle routes. More information can be found [here].

Work is still on hold in the vicinity of Lublańska Street (west side) and Meissnera Street (near Pszona Street). Vegetation cutting in these areas will be possible after obtaining formal approvals of changes made to the detailed design from the Public Entity.

Enjoy a short video documenting the third month of work:

Residents of the northern part of Kraków will face further temporary changes in traffic organization due to the ongoing reconstruction of underground networks and construction of a tunnel through which the tram route to Mistrzejowice will run. Road closures and narrowing will occur on Lublańska Street, Młyńska Street, Bora Komorowskiego Avenue, and from mid-November at the earliest on Meissnera Street. The new traffic organization will be in effect from October 21.  What will change?

On Lublańska Street:

• There will be one lane each for vehicular traffic on Lublańska Street, from the Barei Roundabout to the Polsadu Roundabout. Pedestrian traffic will be redirected from closed sidewalks to designated routes on the roadway and to adjusted green areas.
• On Lublańska Street, on the approach to the Polsad Roundabout from the west, two lanes will be left for vehicular traffic: one to go left toward the Barei Roundabout and one to go right toward the Młyńskie Roundabout.

At the Polsad Roundabout:

• On the face of the Polsadu Rounadbout, the southern part will be closed to traffic. Vehicular traffic will move in one lane for each direction. 
• In addition, at the Polsadu Roundabout, the relationship with priority is designated in the north-south direction. The east-west relation will be carried out on the flyover, while public transport traffic is allowed on this relation under the flyover. The south-west relation will be detoured via the Barei Roundabout.

On Młyńska Street:

• Traffic lights in the area of the Polsad Roundabout and at the intersection of Młyńska Street and Miechowity Street will be turned off. 
• On Młyńska Street going in the direction of the Polsad Roundabout, past Bohaterów Wietnamu Street, traffic will be redirected to the west roadway, where two lanes will be designated, one in each direction. Traffic will be redirected on the switch made earlier.

Other changes:

• On Bora-Komorowskiego Avenue, a lane for turning right and one lane for going straight will remain for traffic.
• A suggested detour route will be taken for traffic during the works.
• Previously separated bus lanes on Lublańska Street in the direction from 29 Listopada Avenue to Polsadu Roundabout and on Bora Komorowskiego Avenue from the intersection with Dobrego Pasterza Street (direction of Polsad Roundabout) will continue to be in force.
• A right turn will be allowed at the intersection of Dobrego Pasterza Street and Bora-Komorowskiego Avenue.
• The current arrangement of stops remains unchanged.
• Update 16.10.2023: A busway on Lublańska Street from the stop in the area of the Barei Roundabout to the Polsad Roundabout will also be temporarily open. It will be in force until the start of works related to the reconstruction of underground networks in the area.

The new traffic organization will be introduced on October 21 starting at 5 a.m., and will last until the middle of next year.

At the earliest, in mid-November (arrangements are currently being made, we will announce the detailed date in a separate announcement), additional changes will be introduced on Młyńska Street and Meissnera Street. They will be in effect along with the traffic organization introduced on October 21.

This Thursday and Friday, October 12 and 13, drivers will face difficulties at the Polsadu Roundabout. The temporary lane closures will be related to the transport of technical equipment. 

Two lanes on the Polsad Roundabout will be temporarily closed to traffic for the unloading of technical equipment: 

• Left turn lane on Bora Komorowskiego Avenue near the technical facilities.
• Left turn lane on Młyńska Street going north. 

Difficulties may occur from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. 

On Thursday, October 5, the second Construction Council took place with the participation of the public side. We have compiled for you a summary of the answers to the questions asked by councilors and residents.

Below is a summary of the questions asked and the answers given.

The webcast of the 2nd Tram Construction Council to Mistrzejowice is available in full on the YouTube channel of the Cracow City Roads Authority [link] and under questions.

The next meeting will be held on November 9, 2023.

How will traffic be organized on November 1, during All Saints’ Day? 

Private Partner: It is planned to delay the opening of the relationship of 29-Listopada Street with Powstańców Street due to another investment carried out by the City. If new traffic organizations are implemented on our scope, they will be passable in each direction – all turning relationships at the Polsadu Roundabout will be maintained. 

When is the reconstruction of the heat pipeline at 4 and 6 Meissnera Street planned for?

Private Partner: The work on the heat pipeline is tentatively scheduled for November, but the switchover itself is planned outside the heating season. 

Public Entity: If we’re talking about utilities, it’s so that first we build the new element, when it’s finished, we do the rewiring, and we dismantle the old one, so that the impediments and interruptions to utilities are as small as possible. These impediments will then be hourly.  

Can we expect tree cutting in November? 

Private Partner: If the project, after making changes, is approved by all city units, we will proceed with the cutting of trees in the vicinity of Lublańska Street and Pszona Street, which is currently on hold in this area. There is one tree left on Jancarza Street and it will be cut down in the near future. Until now it was left because of an active nest. Currently, the nest is no longer active.

Will an orthophotomap site plan be prepared? Request that an updated list of trees to be cut down be made available to residents.

Private Partner: We will provide such a list when we have the final agreed road layout solutions. We do not want to mislead you. The design work is ongoing, and we are trying to do it as soon as possible. We will make it available only after we have final agreement with the road manager and obtain the necessary opinions from the police, ZDMK and MIR, among others.

When will visualizations of the investment be available?

Public Entity: due to changes in the project, the City will make the visualizations available after final decisions are obtained, and all corrections have been applied to the graphic materials. 

What will traffic on Bohomolca Street look like after the investment is completed? Will there be traffic jams?

Public Entity: There are no city representatives who are responsible for the city’s development strategy, so none of us can give a comprehensive answer. This question should be directed to the City Traffic Engineer.

How much will the driving lanes and busway on Młyńska Street be? 

Public Entity: The lanes under the current concept will be 3m wide, while the busway will be 3.5m wide. 

Private Partner: However, we do not have final agreement with MIR and ZDMK, so the widths are not formally confirmed.

What about the trees growing on the slope near Pszona Street?

Private Partner: Trees halfway up the slope will definitely be removed. We will try to preserve the trees that grow on top of the slope. We want to move the retaining wall closer to Meissnera Street.

Will there be noise barriers on Krzesławicka Street? 

Private Partner: On Krzesławicka Street, according to the decision of the RDEP at the reassessment stage, we do not have noise barriers designed. 

Public Entity: In accordance with the terms of the order issued by the RDOŚ and the ZRID decision, after the construction and commissioning of the investment, the necessity to perform a post-execution analysis is envisaged. In case of obtaining the results of the analysis indicating the need for construction of screens by a separate administrative procedure, the Investor will be obliged to obtain a permit for their construction.

How will traffic on Młyńska Street look like when entering the Polsad Roundabout from the east side will all lanes be blocked or just one?  

Private Partner: The north-south relationship will be preserved, but significantly reduced. 

Drivers, coming from the Młyńskie Roundabout, approximately at the level of the current stop, will have to change the roadway to the left. The roadway located on the eastern (right) side will be completely closed. Here, a single lane will be driven all the way to Lublańska Street.

Is it possible to abandon the sidewalk under construction on Krzesławicka Street? 

Private Partner: The question will be addressed to the City Traffic Engineer.  

We already have combined bicycle and car traffic on Krzeslawicka Street. As previously agreed, adding pedestrians to the same cross section is excluded.  

The solution of combining car traffic with bicycle traffic and separately pedestrian traffic results in the least possible occupation of the area with the paved part, leaving more space for the green area. 

How long will the current difficulties on Młyńska Street last? 

Private Partner: The next planned change in traffic organization is scheduled for the second half of October.  

The restoration of the Polsad Roundabout to full operation will take place simultaneously with the completion of the contract. The scope of the work, which includes the reconstruction of the Sudół Dominikański watercourse, the construction of the tunnel and the reconstruction of the heat pipeline, is such a complex operation that it will last for practically the entire duration of the project, which is certainly 2 or 2.5 years. 

Are there any changes planned in the courses of the bus lines that run from the Barei Roundabout towards the Młyńskie Roundabout?  

Public Entity: the Construction Board has no such knowledge.

As construction work on the underground stop and tunnel has commenced, we have concluded the acceptance of applications from individuals interested in inspecting buildings and apartments within the project’s impact area. Since July, we have successfully inventoried nearly 500 apartments.

Back in mid-July, we extended an invitation for you to register for a visual inspection of the current condition of buildings and apartments located within the zone of influence designated by the designer [link]. In light of the significant construction activities set in motion, we are preparing to conduct the last of the pre-arranged inventories in the upcoming days.

These inspections were conducted immediately before work initiation to ensure that residents, city authorities, and the contractor could be confident that the project was proceeding as planned. Owners of properties that underwent the inventory process are entitled to receive a copy of the inspection report. Should you have any additional questions, we encourage you to reach out to us at info@tramwajdomistrzejowic.pl.

We extend our gratitude for your cooperation and the numerous submissions we received.

Site preparation is slowly coming to an end. In mid-September, work began on the construction of the underground Polsad Roundabout stop, and at the beginning of this week we started sinking the diaphragm walls. What exactly are we doing at this stage and how is the excavation being carried out?

In the vicinity of the Iżyckiego Flyover, in the green belt dividing the roadways on Młyńska Street, the first stage of work on the construction of an underground stop has begun. The contractor first carried out control digs to precisely locate underground networks. In mid-September, work platforms were erected, i.e. sturdy structures that allow geotechnical and structural work related to the underground part of the Polsad stop. They have to withstand the demands of heavy equipment, including a powerful slurry wall sinking machine that weighs about 100 tons.

At the beginning of this week, we started the main part of the geotechnical work: it includes sinking and creating the station’s diaphragm walls.

Slurry walls are reinforced concrete structures that enclose the tunnel, minimize the impact of the excavation on buildings in the vicinity of the structure and take the pressure of the soil and groundwater. They are formed by concreting an excavation made by a deepening machine. The excavation will extend more than 20 meters into the ground.

High silos containing bentonite have also appeared directly next to the flyover. The bentonite slurry supports the walls of the open slots as they are excavated and reinforcement baskets are installed, until the slots are filled with concrete mix. Crack walls are concreted from the bottom of the excavation to the top. Once such walls are completed, construction of the floor, the structural top slab of the tunnel, can proceed.

The process of erecting one diaphragm wall takes an average of 24 hours, and the most strenuous work – i.e. the sinking of the diaphragm walls – is done during the day. Depending on the section and the planned depth, the work may be prolonged. It is important that the work must be carried out continuously, due to the technological process. The result of interrupted concreting can be the formation of permanent defects in the structure and the inability to ensure high quality work. Any defects created in this element of the structure directly affect the duration of construction, and thus the duration of the construction impact on the environment.

Starting Thursday, October 5, further modifications will be implemented to the temporary traffic arrangements in connection with the construction of the tramway to Mistrzejowice. Road closures and lane restrictions will be in effect around the Polsad Roundabout area.

These adjustments are necessary due to the ongoing construction activities related to the Tram to Mistrzejowice and the planned reconstruction of underground infrastructure. A key component of these efforts involves the reconstruction of the rainwater drainage collector. This collector, with a diameter as large as 1400 mm (approximately the height of an average 9-10-year-old), plays a crucial role in safeguarding residents from the impacts of extreme weather events, including flooding and waterlogging.

Additionally, we will initiate the reconstruction of the sanitary sewer (600 mm in diameter) responsible for wastewater from the office and commercial complex and residential developments north of the Mateusz Iżycki Flyover, as well as the Orange and Netia telecommunications sewer.

As a result of these infrastructure works, residents will encounter lane restrictions and road closures.

Here’s a summary of the upcoming changes:

• On Młyńska Street, the right-turn lane onto Bora Komorowskiego Street will be deactivated. The current right-turn lane will serve both straight and right-turn purposes (toward Bora Komorowskiego Avenue).
• On Lublańska Street (when driving from 29 Listopada), the bus lane will be temporarily disabled. Public transport vehicles will share a common lane with other drivers (the middle lane on the Roundabout) for straight-ahead travel (toward Bora Komorowskiego Avenue) and left turns (Lublańska Street leading to the Barei Roundabout). This configuration will include a single lane at the exit of the Roundabout toward Bora Komorowskiego.
• Dedicated bus lanes will be established for public transport on Lublańska Street, from al. 29 Listopada to the Polsad Roundabout, on Lublańska Street from the stop near the Barei Roundabout to the Polsadu Roundabout, and on Bora Komorowskiego Avenue from the intersection with Dobrego Pasterza Street (in the direction of Polsad Roundabout).

These changes will remain in effect until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by these necessary adjustments.

An illustrative map of the designation of bus lanes:

Source: Gmina Miejska Kraków, Portal MSIP Obserwatorium (https://msip.krakow.pl) 

During the night of September 27-28, an emergency occupation of the Polsad Roundabout roadway was conducted. The purpose of this operation was to ensure the continued functionality of the underground infrastructure.

This nighttime work was scheduled to minimize disruption to local residents and motorists.

We acknowledge that the ongoing construction may have caused some inconvenience, but it was imperative for maintenance and safety reasons. Access to the roadways was fully restored prior to the morning rush hour.

Following a thorough assessment of the infrastructure, our team has determined that additional targeted interventions in the underground infrastructure may be required.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and sincerely appreciate your understanding.

The construction of a 4.5-kilometer tram route to Mistrzejowice is well underway, with plans to put it into operation by 2025. Recent weeks have been dedicated to intensive site preparation, the reconstruction of underground infrastructure, and the establishment of a site for the future track construction.

The construction of the Kraków Fast Tram (stage IV) commenced in the early days of July. This new route will significantly enhance the accessibility of public transportation for residents of Mistrzejowice and Prądnik Czerwony, who currently rely primarily on bus services.

In a special reportage prepared for your viewing, you will witness the initial construction activities and related efforts, such as road inventory and inspections of apartments and buildings in close proximity to the project. We’ve also delved into the work of nature supervision, which comprises ornithologists and theriologists. Their responsibilities include checking for active nests on the trees slated for removal, to ensure they aren’t inhabited by wildlife.

In the near future, we are scheduled to initiate the reconstruction of sewer, water, telecommunications, and energy networks.

Thanks to the lens of our camera, you’ll have the opportunity to witness these developments firsthand.