Half a thousand - that's how many bicycles will be accommodated by the new cubicle parking that has sprouted up in the space of Gdansk, right next to the railway station in Wrzeszcz. Just to rejoice? Not necessarily. The investment is generating discussions, among the accusations are gigantomania and that the facility does not meet the needs of cyclists.
This will be the first free cubic parking for cyclists in Gdansk - and for 500 single-trackers at once. The much-discussed development stood right next to the newly built Gdansk Wrzeszcz railroad station. Inside are racks and a stand for self-service bicycle maintenance. Such information, contrary to appearances, does not necessarily please the Gdansk cycling community, and there are several reasons.
The two-story parking lot grew on the rubble of the demolished ZTM social building. The City of Gdansk is responsible for the investment, with the Directorate for Urban Development of Gdansk overseeing the construction on its behalf. The facility was built as part of a project subsidized by the European Union, concerning integration hubs. The project cost PLN 13 million, and it also financed elements unrelated to bicycles - the reconstruction of the road system.
We need parking lots, but not molochs
Among the objections to the investment is gigantomania. Anyway, it is significant that the parking lot is not much bigger than the rebuilt railway station in Wrzeszcz. We wrote about the building erected by the railroaders in the article New station in Wrzeszcz. Is it sufficient for one of the key stations? The usable area of the parking lot is 609 sqm, and the station is 745 sqm.
The parking lot is located adjacent to the Wrzeszcz station
© DRMG
Activists from the Bicycle Metropolis association predict that the filling of the large parking lot will not be large. Why? Because there is no direct bicycle access to it. And, surprisingly, no new bicycle routes have been created as part of the project. The parking itself will function mainly on the second floor - because on the first floor there will be social rooms for the drivers of the municipal company Gdańskie Autobusy i Tramwaje. No elevator has been designed for cyclists (there is only a platform for people with disabilities), and the floor will have to be reached by stairs with guides.
Construction of a bicycle parking cubicle
photo by Ewa Karendys
A lesson in how not to spend money
When will the parking lot live to see its opening?
Work on the construction of the parking lot has already been completed. The opening is planned for the first quarter of next year, and we will announce the exact date of the opening at a later date, announces Aneta Niezgoda of the Directorate of City Development of Gdansk.
The PLN 13 million would be enough to build bicycle routes along Armii Krajowej Avenue, Kołobrzeska Street and along the St. Adalbert's Route, and to an excellent standard, Bicycle Metropolis points out.
At the same time, in this discussion, there is no question of whether to build bicycle parking lots, but the key is where and how to do it so that they actually serve two-wheeled enthusiasts. And how to spend money thoughtfully.
