Zielona Krucza is getting closer! The Warsaw City Roads Authority has just announced a tender for the redevelopment of a section in the very heart of the city. The street is set to change its function: instead of a wide corridor for cars, it will become a pedestrian-friendly space featuring greenery and places to rest. If the process goes according to schedule, work will begin later this year, and the contractor will have around 18 months to complete the project.
Krucza will change the layout and pace of the city
The biggest change will be a completely new street layout. Instead of four wide lanes, there will be two narrower carriageways separated by a pedestrian walkway. Junctions will be raised, which is intended to calm traffic and improve safety. Traffic lights will disappear, and the whole space is set to function more intuitively and calmly than it does today. A green boulevard exclusively for pedestrians will be created in the centre of the street. There will be benches, water features and new plantings. Cyclists will use the carriageway, where car traffic is set to be significantly slower than at present. Bus stops and the route of bus line 107 will also be retained.
Hundreds of trees and a new square
The strongest feature of the redevelopment will, of course, be the greenery. As many as 247 new trees, nearly 15,000 shrubs and around 5,000 square metres of flowerbeds will appear along Krucza Street. The street, which many residents today associate primarily with noise and hot tarmac, is set to gain more shade and a more intimate atmosphere. The section near the Grand Hotel will be transformed into a new urban square surrounded by greenery. It is intended to serve as an open space for meeting and relaxation.
Green Krucza and underground utilities
The designers faced a difficult challenge. Beneath the street runs a dense network of utilities, typical of central Warsaw. It was precisely this infrastructure hidden beneath the surface that, in many places, restricted design freedom and necessitated adjustments to the concept. Consultations with residents and housing communities located on Krucza Street were also of great importance. Following these discussions, the possibility of driving along Nowogrodzka Street and, in the opposite direction, Hoża Street was retained. The city also addressed the issue of parking. In the surrounding block, some parking spaces will be available exclusively to residents holding an SPPN subscription. In addition, short-stay parking bays for delivery vehicles will be designated.
A street too wide for too little traffic
Warsaw officials have long pointed out that the current layout of Krucza Street is unsuited to the actual volume of traffic. Analyses have shown that the street’s capacity remains underutilised even during rush hour. The four lanes, however, encouraged speeding and dangerous driving behaviour. Local residents complained about noise and night-time racing. Narrowing the carriageway, raised junctions and a green belt are intended to alleviate this problem. Trees will create an additional noise barrier, and the calmer layout of the street should reduce vehicle speeds.
Green Krucza is the next stage in the redevelopment of Warsaw’s city centre
The green transformation of Krucza Street is part of a wide-ranging programme of changes being carried out by the city under the banner of the New Centre of Warsaw. In recent years, similar transformations have already taken place at, amongst others, the so-called Five Corners Square, Central Square, and Chmielna and Bracka Streets. Work is currently also underway on Złota, Zgoda, Jasna, Sienkiewicza and Marszałkowska Streets. Warsaw is increasingly moving away from a city centre model dominated by cars. In their place, greener and quieter spaces are emerging. For years, Krucza Street was primarily a thoroughfare. Soon, it will be a place for walks, meetings and relaxation amidst trees, shrubs and flowers.
Source:ZDM in Warsaw
Read also:Metamorphosis|City|Warsaw|whiteMAD on Instagram|Urban planning
Krucza Street today and in the future. Photo: ZDM Warsaw
