It's finally here! The streetcar route to Poznań's Naramowice, which opened last Saturday (23.04), is not just a transportation investment. It is an urban revolution that civilizes a residential neighborhood in the north of Poznań that has been built up for the past two decades. It is also further proof of the city-forming role of the streetcar. The effect is spoiled only by a scaled-down section of the road system being built next to the track.
This was one of Poznań's more anticipated investments. The three-kilometer streetcar route from the Wilczak terminus to the new "Błażeja" stop completely changes the functioning of the dynamically developing Naramowice - a district that has so far been badly connected with the rest of the city (a video of the finished route from a drone is available here). How much the new route was needed is evidenced by the high occupancy rate of the streetcars running along it. No wonder: it now takes nine minutes to cover a stretch that during rush hour buses used to travel in half an hour or more.
chaos after the greenhouses
Until the 1990s, Naramowice was primarily associated with the extensive State Horticultural Farm, which during the communist era was famous for its quality crops, preserves and innovative approach to management. However, PGO Naramowice ceased to exist in the first decade of political transition, and its land and the former mansion with park were sold off. Since the end of the 20th century, development projects - mostly of fairly mediocre quality - have been growing here. Unfortunately, largely without the support of local plans. Thus, on the western side of the district, a low-functional patchwork of residential complexes was created. On the eastern side - plans were enacted quite early and the chaos is less. The biggest problem, however, was the transportation service of the entire district. The transportation backbone was the narrow Naramowicka Street - for many years jammed with cars and buses, inefficient and extremely unsightly.
The city's perspective plans for decades included the construction of the so-called New Naramowicka Street and , optionally , a streetcar route. Luckily, a decision was never made to develop the land reserve provided for them. Previous authorities (until 2014), however, did not care about the streetcar, they promoted the construction of a scaled-down road system. But the persistence of local social activists (led by today's councilman Pawel Sowa ) and a change of attitude on the part of the new city authorities finally led to the construction of the streetcar tracks and the New Naramowicka Street running alongside them (it now has an official name: Avenue of Women's Rights). This is the first stage of the route, which in the future will be connected by a new shortcut to the city center (stage II) and - later - to the peripheral Umultow (stage III). Construction work began in the spring of 2020 and is expected to be completed this autumn. This is because part of the road system, bicycle routes, small architecture and green areas are still waiting to be completed. The cost of the investment has already exceeded more than 500 million zlotys (the original estimate was 380 million). The contractor and designer was a consortium of Gülermak and Mosty Lodz SA (more details and construction history available here).
Schematic of the new streetcar route (rationalized stage I - in green)
source: tramwaynanaramowice.pl
unlooped
What does the new streetcar route look like? It's three kilometers of almost entirely green track, sidewalks running along it, and well (with one exception) designed bicycle paths. It's also - in some sections - very wide green belts planted densely with hundreds of new trees. Seven new bus stops have been built - some of them also serve buses traveling along short sections of the paved track, and some allow door-to-door transfers from a streetcar to a bus traveling along a parallel street. It is the only route in the city that does not end with a loop due to plans to extend to Umultow. Naramowice is therefore served by two-way streetcars that do not require a loop.
The final stop on Blazeja Street
photo: Jakub Głaz
Also part of the route is a new overpass over the transit-oriented Lechicka Street, with a second bridge crossing - for cars - being finished next to it, and a very extensive road junction replacing the former dysfunctional intersection. Streetcars were already arriving at the viaduct last year covering almost half of the new route.
Left: Tram overpass over Lechicka Street; right: Wide greened lane between Wlodarska Street and Lechicka Street
photo: Jakub Głaz
Also noteworthy are the numerous bicycle stands and shelters, the separated refuges with a bench and bike rack along the sidewalks, and the consistent facilities for people with disabilities. It is also apparent, however, that the whole thing is primarily the work of road builders. Despite the decent quality of system bus and bicycle shelters, some bus stop fencing and wide greenbelts, there are conspicuous lower-end elements. We're talking primarily about system ladder barriers of various heights running along almost the entire track. Fortunately, vines have been planted along them, which in time will cover several hundred meter sections of these unsightly fences. On the other hand, on the wave of criticism, it was possible to green the gravel-strewn wide strips along the green track during the project(we wrote about this last year).
Left: bicycle shelter on Wlodarska Street; right: unattractive barriers planted with vines to obscure the "ladder" fence
photo: Jakub Głaz
back to front
Also problematic - typical throughout Poznań - is the return to classic large and square paving slabs. This is probably a reaction to the ubiquitous concrete paving that has been ubiquitous for years. Laying the slabs, however, requires more skill, which the contractors lacked. Keying or unevenly laid pieces are not uncommon. The joints of various types of cube slabs, asphalt and concrete also look bad. Finally, while praising the layout of bicycle paths (consulted with bicycle activists), it should be noted that pedestrian trails and crossings are not always well resolved. Hence the growing number of wild shortcuts or ignoring pointless bypasses, where pedestrians have to make up the road. Cyclists have won their own - and very well. Apparently, the city lacks activists working on behalf of pedestrians.
Left: large paving slabs, an asylum with a bench, and tree plantings; right: the result of ill-considered solutions for pedestrians - a wild shortcut near the "Serbska" stop
Photo: Jakub Głaz
Despite some shortcomings, the new route does a good job of "fixing" an extremely dysfunctional part of the city. It also changes the outlook on Naramowice. The buildings previously lying at the "back" of the district are now strongly exposed along the new route. Thus, one can review the better and worse forms of post- and neo-modernism of the past two decades. Only the scaled-down section of Women's Rights Avenue from the junction at Lechicka to Bolka Street is unnecessary. Highway-like in spirit, the route here is unnecessary and - as an alternative to the streetcar - weakens the promotion of public transportation.
The exposed architecture of postmodern Naramowice and the scaled-down section of the two-lane Women's Rights Avenue
photo: Jakub Głaz
Fortunately, the city is determined to invest in the next section of the route. The second stage is to connect the Wilczak loop with the Old Town (along Szelągowska and Garbary streets) by the shortest route. Currently, access to the center runs along too long a stretch (along Winogrady and Pulaski streets). The implementation of the next stage (estimated cost: PLN 600 million) will make the tramway to Naramowice fully functional. Mayor Jacek Jaskowiak has repeatedly said that this tramway investment is a top priority.
