The topic of the construction of the Railway Park in Krakow is a never-ending story. Can residents count on a happy ending?
The modernization of the cross-city line running through Krakow, which began in 2016, was one of the largest PKP PLK projects in recent years. In the city center, its most visible consequences were the removal of embankments and the construction of railroad overpasses, which were built between Kopernika and Grzegórzecka streets and over the section running from Grzegórzecka to Miodowa. Under the new structures, an undeveloped space was created, the future of which was the subject of debates, competitions and consultations. Nearly four years after the first visualizations became available, the area under the flyover still haunts, although the first construction works are tentatively beginning. Why is this so, and will the areas under the flyovers face a metamorphosis in the near future?
A vision of the Railway Park in Krakow
© ZZM
a long, long time ago...
Although PKP PLK originally planned to place a parking lot under the flyovers, by the end of 2018 the results of the international competition "New Life Between the Flyovers" had already been published , and the winner was the spectacular concept of the Dutch studio VenhoevenCS. Although its implementation was not proceeded with, the results of the competition became the starting point for surveys, public consultations and participatory workshops around the land development project. In 2020, the Board of Urban Greenery presented a project for the Railway Park, which was to include the creation of recreational areas under the flyovers in three stages - along Blich Street, then between Grzegórzecka and Miodowa Streets, and finally under the railroad connector on the section from Dekerta Street to Limanowskiego Street. The plans included functional zoning, thousands of new plantings, a sensory garden or food and outdoor gym zones.
Vision of the Railway Park in Cracow
© ZZM
city vs. railroad
As of this moment , however, the Railway Park remained only a concept, as the land where it was to be located belonged to PKP PLK. This, in turn, neither thought of cooperating with the City, stipulating that it would not allow any work under the overpasses until they were fully completed. The wrangling between PKP PLK and the local government was mainly suffered by residents, who for years were forced to tolerate the presence of the not very attractive, to put it mildly, space under the flyovers. When the City finally managed to lease the land, and the construction of the railroad crossing was shut down, it turned out that.... funds were in short supply for the realization of the long-awaited park. Thus, the two-and-a-half-kilometer-long site fell into construction oblivion and took on a life of its own.
The first work on the Railway Park on Blich Street
Photo: Przemek Ciępka
under the bridge
Although the planned parking lot under the flyovers has not officially been built, the untidy area has long served as a "wild" parking place for cars. The space in the heart of the city had long been subject to progressive degradation. Heaps of garbage piled up under the passage, the pillars were covered with questionable graffiti, and the barriers separating the area caused chaos for pedestrians. For some time, the passage between Blich and Zyblikiewicz Streets, which were a few dozen meters away, led over a wooden "footbridge," but recently even that could not be counted on. After heavy rainstorms, residents were forced to jump over bricks scattered on the ground, as huge puddles appear on the trampled ground. The alternative is to walk several times longer to Grzegórzecka Street and then reach Zyblikiewicz via Morsztynowska Street.
First works on the Railway Park in Blich Street
Photo: Przemek Ciępka
the right way
However, it looks like the situation may be changing after years of promises. We reported on the beginnings of the first construction work on the Railway Park last year. As reported by the Krakow ZZM, at that time work was done on the sewerage system and electrical network, which were essential for the functioning of the future park. Later, however, the work came to a standstill, and the "old garbage" returned to the space under the flyovers . We had to wait until this summer for more information on the Railway Park, when the Urban Greenery Board announced that it had managed to obtain 3.5 million zlotys to help finance the first stage of the park's construction, located along Blich Street. The wording of the ZZM's tender for the construction work, which primarily includes the construction of a wooden pavement of nearly 200 square meters, the creation and installation of landscaping, and the supply of lighting to the area, also appeared online. However, the city informs of a much broader scope of planned works - the previously purchased playground equipment will finally appear, according to the announcement, a bicycle path and a wooden platform along Blich Street will also be created. The amount raised, however, is a drop in the ocean of needs, as at least 10 million zlotys are needed for the realization of the first stage. As a result, it is unclear whether the work done with the funds obtained will bring the park to a state where it will be made available to residents.
Undeveloped areas under the flyover between Grzegórzecka and Miodowa streets
photo: Przemek Ciępka
the beginning of a long road
In recent days, the first works have started at a lazy pace, although tangible results are far from being achieved, and some of the developed areas are still not fully cleaned up. It remains to be hoped that more funds will be obtained in the near future , and at least next year, after considerable delays, the space under the overpasses along Blich Street will finally be revived. It should not be forgotten, however, that the described works are just the tip of the iceberg - there are still areas planned for further stages of the Railway Park development waiting to be developed. In this case, however, it is difficult to talk about a closer date for their commissioning - there are reports that this could happen in 2026 or even 2027. Despite pressure from residents and community activists, as of now not even the design documentation for the area has been created, let alone securing the money needed for this purpose. The matter is also not made any easier by the ownership situation of the land under the railroad crossings, which is owned by PKP PLK. The residents of Krakow must therefore get used to the idea that for many more years to come, the center of the city, where an important part of the center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will be crossed not only by a rail road line that facilitates communication, but also by the threshing floors underneath, full of trash, debris and illegally parked cars.
