Warsaw. Refuge, thresholds, posts. How to improve safety at crossings

Accelerates the program to improve safety at pedestrian crossings. New shelters and speed bumps will be built, and some intersections will have traffic lights. Where final solutions are currently impossible, ad hoc changes will be introduced. All this to prevent pedestrians from dying on the crossings.

In September, the Warsaw Council allocated additional funds PLN 164 million to improve road safety. The goal is to eliminate black spots, crossings that received the lowest ratings in a major safety audit (which covered four thousand zebras): zero or one. In four years there will be no passing with such a note.

The money was allocated for the years 2025-2028, but the declaration itself allowed road construction companies to get off the ground. Mikołaj Pieńkos, deputy director of the Municipal Roads Authority, who headed the Road Traffic Safety Division, told journalists about ongoing and planned investments.

– We want to use the winter to have as many projects ready for use in the field as possible in the spring and summer – said Pieńkos. As he added, for now the weather is kind and allows the most urgent tasks to be carried out.

– From September 2024 alone, we have introduced changes in 30 locations, an additional nearly 100 launching a paid parking zone in Praga Południe – said the deputy director of ZDM.

Many offers in tenders, companies “fighting for orders”

The most important tenders announced in recent days concern the construction of traffic lights at the following intersections: Woronicza/Spartańska, Wólczyńska/Nocznickiego, Przyczółkowa/Pałacowa, Dolina Służewiecka/Aleja Wilanowska and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Chodecka and Matki Teresa z Kolkata.

– We already have open offers for the reconstruction of Chodecka. As many as 12 companies applied, which is probably a record number of interested parties. This confirms that it is a good time to look for contractors, they do not yet have a full portfolio of orders for next season and they are fighting for them. The price-wise offers are attractive, said the head of the Road Safety Division.

– We have a whole series of pedestrian refuges built – he added. And he presented a list including the following locations: Mazowiecka/Kredytowa (3 crossings), Gierdziejewskiego/Wołości (2 crossings), Wólczyńska/Swaożyca, Dzieci Warszawy/Rydzyńska, Kijowska/Brzeska, Kijowska/Markowska, Łukowska/Rodziewiczówny, Łukowska/Komoroska.

The next projects are already ready. – First of all, Mehoffera Street, which appeared “black” in the audit tables. There were six transitions rated zero or one on a five-point scale. We will protect them with thresholds. Similarly on Vogla Street. We want to complete the work on Spisaka and Pawińskiego Streets (two asylums on both streets – ed.) this year, announced Mikołaj Pieńkos.

Temporary work is better than years of waiting

Road workers assure that they will act wherever it is dangerous. If a thorough reconstruction is planned in one of the places, but at a distant date, ad hoc solutions will be introduced. Pieńkos gave the example of Kijowska, where thresholds were installed and temporary shelters were built in the area of ​​Brzeska and Markowska. – In the spirit: it's ugly, but it works – admitted the official, describing the actions that were quick, cheap, not necessarily aesthetic, but – most importantly – effective.

Another example from this shelf was Washington Avenue, which the city hall and the district do not dare to narrow. Tram workers have recently carried out spot works therebecause their tracks regularly flooded. Now road workers will carry out the work in the same ad hoc manner.

– One of the first projects we took up was Aleja WAWA at Niekłańska (where – ed.) is located, the last crossing of such a wide road cross-section, i.e. four lanes plus two tram tracks. We have agreed and approved an ad hoc project for the construction of speed bumps at this crossing. I hope that these thresholds will appear within a few weeks at the latest – declared the deputy director of ZDM.

– Another crossing with three-lane sections is the Wiatraczna roundabout at Aleja United States. Ultimately, the Wiatraczna roundabout needs reconstruction, which will probably be carried out as part of the construction of the metro line. But we want to quickly improve safety because there are no signals. Another such case to Narutowicza Square, southern entrance on Grójecka Street, three lanes after the bend. We will temporarily organize traffic at the extensive intersection of Modlińska and Płochocińska. Ultimately, a major reconstruction with signaling is planned there. The intersection of Saska and Angorska will also undergo changes in traffic organization – Mikołaj Pieńkos listed other locations.

Designing a reconstruction with traffic lights takes longer

Road engineers also plan to improve safety (mainly by providing shelters) on the streets where resurfacing is planned. So that these are not just reconstruction renovations. In this case, the streets are: Jana Pawła II (in Wesoła), Szwoleżerów, Dobra, Rozbrat, Browarna, Mickiewicza.

At these six intersections, road engineers want to install traffic lights: Popiełuszki/Czaki, Wysockiego/Syrokomli, Wysockiego/Palestyńska, Kijowska/Markowska, Kijowska/Brzeska, Marymoncka/Twardowska. Tenders are being prepared. But only in 2026. – We want next year to be spent on designing the signaling, but unfortunately it takes so long – explained Pieńkos.

Interactive map, work team and recruitment

ZDM continues the process of replacing street lamps (over three thousand fixtures since September alone). Pedestrian crossings will also be consistently illuminated with spot lighting.

It goes on too program to improve safety at schools “Road to six”. – Within two months, 30 institutions registered. We are in the process of researching traffic around schools, and we have initially selected six of them

Road builders will share the effects of their work on an interactive map that they provide publicly on your website>>> These are graphical presentations of the results of the said audit along with a description of implemented or planned activities.

To prevent decision-making bottlenecks, a working team was established in which representatives of the Municipal Roads Authority and the Road Traffic Management Office resolve matters that require it. There are still positions available at ZDM for specialists in the design of road solutions. The management admits that it is not easy to find such employees.