Warsaw. Construction of a tram to Wilanów, Mokotów paralyzed

“At the intersections of Puławska and Rakowiecka and Spacerowa, Gagarina and Belwederska, our contractors have completed key connection works for the next stages of the tram to Wilanów,” Tramwaje Warszawskie announced on social media. As assured, trams in Mokotów are running without any difficulties. However, bus drivers and passengers are not exactly applauding. In their opinion, the situation there is tragic. The post was followed by many comments irritated by the pace of work.

“What nonsense, nothing is finished, yesterday I was coming back late in the evening, driving along Gagarina Street I couldn't get to Grottger, there is no crossing… Once again I had a trip around Warsaw, over 6 km and half an hour of driving on bumpy roads, to Unii Lubelskiej Square, Boya, Puławska to Spacerowa and finally through the park to Grottger” – complains one of the residents of Dolny Mokotów.

“Nonsense. The mess is still there. Trams are running, but the streets are in a terrible state. The entrance to Chocimska from Gowork is closed, because why make it easier for drivers? You have to drive Puławska back and forth to get to Olszewska to get to Chocimska,” another person remarks.

“Have you seen the progress of the construction works on Sobieskiego? If Budimex claimed that only problems with resin caused the postponement of the completion date of the tram line to Wilanów, then they probably don't know what's going on at the construction site. I look at this chaos every day and somehow I can't imagine that the tram will start running this year,” says another resident.

The problems at this intersection affect the entire area. Additionally, it is still impossible to turn into the streets perpendicular to Belwederska on its lower section: Promenada, Dolna, Gierymskiego or Kostrzewskiego. On Tuesday, tvnwarszawa.pl reporter Olek Klekocki checked what it is like to drive a car through the sensitive part of Mokotów.

– The worst was in the area: Dolna, Belwederska-Spacerowa, Gagarina. Today, in addition to the difficulties caused by the construction of the tram route to Wilanów, the road on Belwederska was narrowed to one lane before Dolna. On the road towards Sadyba, work was carried out related to asphalting the surface. Workers were directing traffic, which was moving in one lane – described Klekocki. Our reporter was there during the morning rush hour, around 9 a.m. – The traffic jam on Belwederska started already at the height of Belweder. It took me about 20-30 minutes longer than it should have to get through the critical intersection with Spacerowa and Gagarina – he reported.

The second problematic place is Puławska, where the western carriageway has been closed between Goworka and Narbutta due to the construction of the track on Rakowiecka (which is also closed). All traffic is moving along the eastern lane of Puławska. The result is traffic jams that spill over primarily to Waryńskiego, Batorego and Goworka.

We asked Tramwaje Warszawskie about the situation. – In the near future, the traffic situation in the construction area should gradually improve. On Gagarina, the contractor has already completed the works that required narrowing the roadway. Since September 2, trams are running again on Puławska, as well as on Goworka, Spacerowa and Gagarina. In the coming days, Budimex (the contractor of the tram route to Wilanów – ed.) is to open the Chocimska inlet to Goworka – assured us Witold Urbanowicz, spokesman for Tramwaje Warszawskie.

As he added, by the end of September, the Balzola company, the track contractor on Rakowiecka, is to open the western carriageway of Puławska. – In addition, Budimex declares and maintains that by the end of September it will open the inlet of Dolna Street and it will be possible to travel towards Belwederska and Chełmska again – announced Urbanowicz.

He assured that Budimex will deliver further sections of sidewalks – the one along Spacerowa will be made available soon. – We are constantly drawing the contractor's attention to the need to improve pedestrian traffic conditions. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope that the gradually delivered elements of the investment will bring about a noticeable improvement – the spokesman said. – The contractor, Budimex, maintains that at the turn of October and November the first tram with passengers will reach the terminus at Branickiego in Miasteczko Wilanów – Witold Urbanowicz added.

Even if Budimex keeps the tram launch deadline that has already been postponed twice, it does not mean the end of the work. There will still be roads and sidewalks to be done in many places. This work will take many more months and will definitely cover 2025.

Work on this investment began exactly two years ago. The initial plan was for the investment to be ready at the beginning of 2024. Then the deadline was postponed to September of this year. In July, Budimex officially admitted that it “would not deliver”. The company explained this by a problem with resin grouts, which stabilize and quiet the rails.

The situation in the city centre is also difficult, as the quarter is being rebuilt. Złota, Zgoda, Sienkiewicza and Jasna. The area around the National Philharmonic has turned into a construction site. The parking lots at Młynarski Square and in front of the Dom Pod Orłami have been fenced off and will become a construction site. The tunnel under Marszałkowska is being filled in, which means that parking spaces on Złota have disappeared. The surrounding streets are also congested outside the morning and afternoon rush hours. The problem occurs, for example, after the end of concerts at the National Philharmonic, where the very popular Chopin and His Europe festival is taking place.

The difficulties are compounded by the renovation of Mazowiecka Street and the construction of a parking lot under Powstańców Warszawy Square – it will be opened at the turn of 2024 and 2025. However, the parking lot under Defilad Square is still available.

– The change in this quarter is primarily related to the lower availability of parking spaces for everyone, except for residents, and most likely within a few days most drivers will learn that they will not find a parking space on these streets. Together with the Road Traffic Management Office, we are constantly monitoring the situation and if it turns out that corrections to traffic organization are justified, we will introduce them. This may also apply to additional markings – Jakub Dybalski, spokesman for the Municipal Roads Authority, told PAP.