Accelerating crosswalk safety improvement program. New and frequent shelters are being built, traffic lights are being installed at some intersections. Where a final solution is not possible at this time, temporary changes will be introduced. All this to prevent the death of pedestrians at crossings.
In September, the Warsaw Council allocated an additional 164 million pounds to improve road safety. The goal is to eliminate black spots, crossings that received the lowest score in the main safety audit (which covered four thousand zebras): zero or one. The fourth year passed with such a note.
The money was allocated for the years 2025-2028, but the declaration itself allowed road construction companies to leave the ground. Mikołaj Pienkos, Deputy Director of the City Road Administration, who headed the road safety department, told reporters about the current and planned investments.
– We want to use the winter to prepare as many projects as possible in the field in the spring and summer, – Pienkos said. He added that at the moment the weather is favorable and allows urgent works to be carried out.
– Only since September 2024, we have made changes in 30 locations, about 100 more in connection with the launch of the paid parking zone in Prague Poludnie, – said the deputy director of ZDM.
Many offers in tenders, companies “fight for orders”
The most important tenders announced in recent days concern the construction of traffic lights at the following intersections: Voronitsa/Spartanska, Wolczynska/Nochnikiego, Przychkova/Palakova, Dolina Slujevicka/Aleja Vilanovska, and the construction of cross roads from Kolkata.
– We already have open proposals for the reconstruction of Chodetska. About 12 companies applied, possibly a record number of interested parties. This shows that it is a good time to look for contractors, they still do not have a complete portfolio of orders for the next season and they are fighting for them. The proposals are interesting in terms of price and novelty, said the head of the road safety department.
“We have built a series of pedestrian shelters,” he added. And he presented a list that included the following locations: Mazowiecka/Kredytowa (3 crossings), Gierdziejewskiego/Wolości (2 crossings), Wólczyńska/Swarożyca, Dzieci Warszawy/Rydzyńska, Kijowska/BrzeskańskaŁowy/Roowy, Lukowska/Komorska.
The next projects are already ready. – First of all, Mehoffera Street, which appeared “black” in the auditor's tables. There were six transitions, rated zero or one on a five-point scale. We will protect them with a threshold. In the same way on Vogla street. We want to complete the work on Spisaka and Pavinskiego streets this year (two shelters on both streets – ed.), Mikolaj Pienkos announced.
Myśliwiecka after milling ZDM
Temporary work is better than waiting for years
Road officials assure that they will act wherever it is dangerous. If a total reconstruction is planned in one of the places, but a temporary solution will be introduced at a distant date. Pienkos gave the example of Kijowska, where thresholds were installed and temporary shelters were built in the Brzeska and Markowska area. – In the spirit: it's ugly, but it works, – admitted the official, describing the action as quick, cheap, not necessarily aesthetic, but – most importantly – effective.
Another example of this shelf is Washington Avenue, which the municipality and the district do not have the courage to narrow. Tram crews recently carried out emergency work there as the tracks were regularly flooded. Now the road builders do the work in the same way.
– One of the first projects we started was Aleja WAWA in Nieklaščka (there – ed.), the last crossing of such a wide stretch of road, that is, four lanes and two tram lines. We approved a temporary project for the construction of speed meters in this passage. I hope that these limits will appear in a few weeks later, – said the deputy director of ZDM.
– The next crossing with three train sections is the Viatracna roundabout in Aleja, United States. Finally, the Viatrakna roundabout will need renovation, which will probably be done as part of the construction of the metro line. But we want to improve safety quickly because there is no signal. Another such case is Narutović Square, the southern entrance on Grožečka Street, three lanes after the bend. We are temporarily organizing traffic at the wide intersection of Modlinska and Plochoczynska. Finally, there is a major reconstruction with signaling planned. The intersection of Saska and Angorska will also undergo changes in traffic management – Mikolaj Pienkos listed other places.
Reconstruction design with traffic lights takes longer
Road engineers also plan to improve safety (mainly by providing shelters) on streets where reconstruction is planned. So that these are not just reconstructions. In this case, the streets are: Jana Pavla II (in Vesola), Shvolezerov, Dobra, Rozbrat, Brovarna, Mickiewicz.
At these six intersections, road engineers want to install traffic lights: Popieluszki/Czacki, Wisokiego/Syrokomli, Wisokiego/Palestinska, Kijowska/Markowski, Kijowska/Brzeska, Marimonka/Twardowska. Tenders are being prepared. But only in 2026. – We want the next year to be spent on signaling design, but unfortunately it takes so much time, – Pienkos explained.
Investment plans for 2025 ZDM
Interactive map, work team and engagement
ZDM continues the process of replacing street lights (more than three thousand devices since September alone). Pedestrian crossings are also continuously illuminated with spot lights.
There is also a program to improve safety in schools called “Droga na 6”. – Within two months, 30 institutions were registered. We are in the process of checking the traffic around the schools and we have selected six of them initially, said Principal Pienkos.
Road engineers will share the impact of their work on an interactive map, which is available on their website>>> This is a graphic presentation of the results of the above audit and a description of the implemented or planned activities.
In order to prevent difficulties in decision-making, a working group was formed, in which representatives of the City Roads Department and the Traffic Department will solve the issues that require it. There are jobs available at ZDM for specialists in the design of road solutions. The management admits that it is not easy to find such workers.
Main photo source: ZDM
