Since 2021, MPK [Municipal Transport Company] has been in charge of tramway tracks in Wroclaw. Only this year will 80 million PLN be spent on repairs. It is a part of TORYwolucja – a tramway track repair program.
‘For the first time in the history of this city, we want to spend 80 million PLN per year for the repair and maintenance of tramway tracks. In this way, we respond to the most urgent challenges. We are also changing the formula for carrying out tramway track repairs. I would like them to take place during the whole year, obviously if the weather permits. These biggest works will still be concentrated in summer months, but smaller investments should last the whole year,’ announced the Mayor of Wroclaw Jacek Sutryk at the beginning of January.
Now the holiday period begins, which means there will be more repairs.
Repair of tramway tracks at Plac Strzegomski
On 26th June, the repair of the passage through the tramway tracks at Plac Strzegomski starts. MPK plans to complete these works by the second half of August.
Changes in transport system
From 26th June, regular routes of seven tram lines (3, 10, 20, 23, 31, 32 and 33) will change.
‘The trams will run on a bypass route from Plac Dominikański or the Arkady shopping centre through Plac Orląt Lwowskich. Then they will run along a new tramway route and farther into ul. Śrubowa to ul. Legnicka or straight to the Wrocławski Park Przemysłowy terminus,’ explains Adam Więcek from the Department of Infrastructure and Transport in the Wroclaw City Hall.
The entire tramway traffic from ul. Legnicka, between Plac Jana Pawła II and ul. Złotoryjska, will be redirected to the TAT Bus & Tram Route. Tram lines running to Pilczyce and Leśnica will travel along ul. Robotnicza and ul. Śrubowa.
Bus lines 106, 107, 109, 148, 149 and 609 towards Nowy Dwór will use a detour route through ul. Legnicka and Plac Strzegomski to ul. Robotnicza. This results from the limited capacity of the new section of TAT from Plac Orląt Lwowskich to ul. Śrubowa, where trams will arrive every 1.5 minute after its opening.
Changes for drivers
Changes await drivers, too. Part of the intersection at Plac Strzegomski will also be closed for traffic. Drivers can ride straight along ul. Legnicka and turn left. From ul. Poznańska, it is possible to turn right at the intersection (and similarly on both intersection inlets, i.e., from ul. Kruszwicka and ul. Braniborska).
On the other hand, the straight passage along the axis of ul. Poznańska will be closed for traffic and it will not be possible to turn left from ul. Poznańska (on both sides of the intersection). Drivers will not turn left from ul. Legnicka towards Plac Strzegomski and ul. Poznańska, either.
On both sides of the intersection, U-turn areas will be the disposal of drivers at ul. Legnicka (250 m away from the centre and within 150 m in front of and behind the intersection).
Repair of tramway tracks at ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego
On 26th June, the route of tram line 4 will also change. This is due to the replacement of turnouts at the intersection of ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego and ul. Krupnicza. In both directions, line 4 will run on a detour route from Plac Legionów through ul. Piłsudskiego, Małachowskiego, Pułaskiego and Plac Wróblewskiego.
During the turnout replacement period, drivers cannot turn back on the level of ul. Krupnicza, as crossing the tracks will not be possible. This also refers to cyclists, who will not turn left into ul. Krupnicza.
Works will last around two months.
What else will change from 26th June?
- Closure of the road in Kiełczów – changes in routes of bus lines 931 and 941 due to the reconstruction of flood protection systems.
- Change of the name of the Poczta Polska stop.
- Change of the route of line 123 buses running to Maślice and Stabłowice
- Change of the name of the stop at ul. Trzmielowicka
- Change of the route of bus line 116 at the request of the Council of the Karłowice-Różanka Housing Estate
- Launch of a new season bus line 722 to Nowe Żerniki
- Change of the status of several bus stops. Buses will stop “upon request”.
More repairs in summer
Plac Jana Pawła II
MPK’s plans include the replacement of turnouts and the intersection of tracks at Plac Jana Pawła II. Works should start in August 2021 and last till July 2022.
Tramway tracks at ul. Św. Mikołaja and Ruska
In July, the repair of the tramway tracks at ul. Św. Mikołaja and at ul. Ruska should start. In the same month, the replacement of bends in ul. Legnicka on the Plac Jana Pawła II – Dolmed – Leśnica route will start. Works should be completed by September.
In both cases, there is no information about transport system changes yet.
Other planned repairs
Moreover, the following overhead contact lines will be repaired between August and October:
- in ul. Ślężna (section from ul. Sztabowa to ul. Kamienna) in both directions
- Repair of the overhead contact line at Pl. Jana Pawła
- Repair of the overhead contact line at Pl. Legionów
In this case, there will be no difficulties for passengers. ‘Works will be performed at night, when trams are not on their routes,’ assures Bartosz Naskręski from MPK Wrocław.
The replacement of two turnouts at the intersection of ul. Powstańców Śląskich and Hallera is also under way. These works should be completed by the end of August.
‘The new turnouts will be drained, and stub axles will be heated and electrically controlled,’ stresses the President of MPK Wrocław Krzysztof Balawejder. ‘Thanks to this investment, passage through the tracks will be safer and more comfortable. Within the scope of works, we will replace also the road surface around the tracks on which cars and bicycles ride. Now it will be even and robust, so nobody should be afraid of losing a wheel.
The cost of works is 2.2 million PLN.
