Residents saved a valuable pine tree. The new road runs alongside

There is a happy ending to a dispute in the small town of Kłudzice near Piotrków Trybunalski. A tree grew there that stood in the way of road construction. Thanks to the stubbornness of the residents, the pine tree was saved and a new road was built next to it.

The region’s famous pine tree has the status of a natural monument. According to the residents, it is the last ‘Napoleonic’ pine in the village. They argue that the tree was planted by Napoleon’s troops on their way east, as a way of marking the area of their march. Is this story true? This has not been established, but one thing is certain, the precious pine tree has survived and now serves a useful function.

The tree interfered with the plan to build a road from Belchatow to Ujazd. The simplest thing would have been to cut the pine down and fill the area with asphalt, but the plant was defended by the inhabitants of Kłudzice. Thanks to their efforts, the tree gained the status of a natural monument in 2004 and is therefore legally protected. In 2022. Piotrków Trybunalski County Road Authority raised funds to complete the missing section of the route with the pine tree in the middle. The designer chosen at the time decided to find the golden mean, to let the new road be built and to save the tree at the same time.

The new road is important because it connects three counties. By routing the road around the tree, a natural element was created, forcing drivers to reduce their speed. This was also the aim of the road builders – traffic through the village was to be slowed down for safety reasons. What about the lorries? There is a solution for that too. The published photos do not show the completed project. In the coming days, the roadworks will install so-called gantries to protect the village (and the tree) from trucks.

The story of the Kłudzice pine tree shows that it is possible to reconcile historical and natural aspects with the contemporary needs of travellers. A tree left in the middle of the road forces you to take your foot off the accelerator. In a built-up area, the speed limit is 50 km/h, and with the pine tree it will be reduced to 30 km/h.

photos: Monika Gosławska

source: Radio Łódź

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