In July 2023, a shovel-laying ceremony was held in Konin to mark the symbolic start of the construction of a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Ulga Canal. It was attended by the city mayor, Piotr Korytkowski, and representatives of the investment contractor, the MOST company from Sopot. The implementation of this project is one of the key elements of the ‘Generator of urban energy – a source of Konin’s success’ programme. It was planned that the investment would be completed by the end of August 2024, with the first residents benefiting from it as early as September. Unfortunately, due to financial problems, the high state of the River Warta and other delays, the footbridge will be ready in February 2025.
The new footbridge is only part of a larger vision for the development of Pociejewo Island. A geothermal heating plant is being built in the area, and there are also plans to build geothermal pools and a graduation tower park, for which the city has obtained additional funding.
Photo: UM Konin
The new pedestrian and cycle infrastructure of the project, which is being built over the Ulga Canal, which is the former bed of the Warta River, will also include pavements and paths on both sides of the 300-metre crossing. On the old Konin side, the 700-metre-long path will start in the area of the junction of Podwale and Wiejska streets, from where it will run along the dyke before connecting to the footbridge. On the new Konin side, the route will split into two branches – one leading towards Łąkowa Street and the other towards Kurów Street.
In this way, the new infrastructure will unite the cycle path system in both parts of the city – the old and the new. Benches will be built at the fork of the routes to create a viewing area. Small architectural objects such as lamps, benches, litter bins and plant pots will be placed along the entire length of the path.
The original cost of the investment was around PLN 25.5 million, but it was increased during the works and is now said to be PLN 30 million. The project is financed thanks to Norwegian funds, a grant from the Government Local Investment Fund and the budgets of the state and the City of Konin. Last Monday, partial technical acceptance of the footbridge was carried out, bringing it closer to completion and commissioning.
Source: lm.pl, radiopoznan.fm
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