Warsaw. Road engineers summarize this year's investments. Next year's budget is expected to be record-breaking

In 2025, the capital's Municipal Roads Authority will have PLN 140 million available for infrastructure renovations. As city hall representatives emphasize, this is a record budget. They also summarized the investments completed this year.

ZDM Director Łukasz Puchalski said that from the beginning of 2024 until now, 50 road and sidewalk renovations have been completed. Among the most important projects he mentioned: Czerniakowska, Ordona, Marszałkowska, Lalki, Odyniec, Aleja Krakowska, Krakowskie Przedmieście, Moliera, Wierzbowa, Broniewskiego, Myśliwiecka and Modlińska.

– It may not have been a record year, but it is still nothing compared to what we have planned for next year – said Puchalski.

Details of these plans will not be known until January next year. Vice-President of Warsaw Tomasz Mencina announced that next year's budget for renovations carried out by ZDM will be record-breaking and will amount to a total of PLN 140 million. PLN 40 million was guaranteed, another PLN 100 were additional funds recently voted by councilors.

In addition, as we reported on tvnwarszawa.pl, in October, the Warsaw Council allocated additional money to improve safety. This amounts to PLN 164 million for the construction of new roundabouts, traffic lights and traffic calming. These funds will be spread over the years 2025-2028.

Tender for a lighting control system to be repeated

Puchalski also summarized the program for replacing lighting fixtures on the capital's streets. – Exactly a week ago we received the last delivery of lighting fixtures. Nearly 73,000 fixtures are already hanging on Warsaw's street lamps. We need about a month to install the rest. In addition to parks and historical lighting, we will only have LED luminaires in Warsaw – explained the director of ZDM.

He also pointed out that documentation had been prepared to illuminate nearly 200 pedestrian crossings.

At the end of February, road workers announced a tender for a remote control system for Warsaw streetlights. The system is intended to enable early failure detection, energy consumption monitoring and light intensity control. As Puchalski admitted, it was not possible to choose a company that would make it. – We have now completed the technical dialogue. We will prepare the second procedure, he said.

As part of the implementation of a modern lighting control system, most luminaires will be equipped with a special controller – informing about their operation and allowing for advanced remote control. The system will also allow you to select the best possible lighting parameters on streets, sidewalks and bicycle paths.

3.5 million people on the pedestrian and bicycle bridge

Without a doubt, one of the most important investments commissioned this year was the pedestrian and bicycle bridge across the Vistula River, opened in April. – We see the communication functions of this bridge, but we also see great recreational and tourist interest – noted the ZDM director.

– Until now, nearly 3.5 million people have used this bridge in various ways: by bicycle, on foot, by scooter – he said.

Łukasz Puchalski devoted a lot of space to investments improving pedestrian comfort. As a prime example, he pointed to the opening of the zebra crossing by Wisłostrada at Karowa Street.

– According to many, the new crossing was supposed to clog Wisłostrada and lead to paralysis. We have proven that it does not have to be this way. The situation in Powiśle has changed. It's much easier to leave. There are no more traffic jams along Dobra Street, Puchalski said. – However, the primary goal of this project was to improve the accessibility of the pedestrian and bicycle bridge – he noted.

The pedestrian crossing over Wisłostrada is open

Among other projects implemented this year to improve the situation for pedestrians, he mentioned the designation of surface crossings at the intersection of Poligonowa and Ostrobramska streets and the liquidation of underground passages at Na Rozdrożu Square and replacing them with surface ones.

– There are no negative effects of the changes in any of these places – assured the ZDM director.

Another SPPN extension coming soon

Autumn at ZDM was marked by another expansion of the Paid Unguarded Parking Zone. There are 155 parking meters in Saska Kępa and Kamionek. About 5,000 were designated. parking spaces. – We issued fewer subscriptions for this area, which shows that theoretically it is still available to visitors – said Puchalski.

– We are currently preparing and right after the New Year we want to start introducing a paid parking zone in Mokotów. Moreover, we are planning to replace all parking meters in Warsaw in the coming months, he added.

Those installed in Saska Kępa and Kamionek are already new and will not be replaced.

Pursuant to the resolution of the Warsaw Council adopted at the end of August, SPPN extension o the areas of Stare Mokotów, Wyględów, Wierzbno, Ksawerów, Sielec and parts of Sadyba is scheduled to take place on February 3, 2025.