This ERDF-funded project will improve public transport in Olsztyn, Poland by extending the existing tram and bus routes and installing an intelligent transportation system (ITS). The aim is to encourage more people to use public transport, reduce congestion and create a more pleasant urban environment, as stated in the Eastern Poland Operational Programme.
Improving public transport in Olsztyn, Poland with extended tram line
- 10 February 2020
The new line will connect Olsztyn’s centre with the housing estates of Pieczewo, Jaroty, Nagórki, Osiedle Mazurskie, Kormoran, Pojezierze and Śródmieście, and the Michelin factory.
Six new trams will be purchased, capable of accommodating 1 200 people. A total of 28.9 km of public transport routes will be either built or modernised. This will consist of 12.3 km of tram and lines and 16.6 km of bus routes. One intelligent transportation system will be installed, to cover 6.1 km of road. It is estimated that 5.7 million passenger trips per year will be made on the new and upgraded public transport infrastructure.
Included in the project cost are a passenger information system, ticket sale and ticket validation machines, and information and promotional activities.Cyclists will benefit from the project. Four bike-and-ride facilities with a total of 52 parking spaces will be built, along with 9.6 km of cycling lanes and related infrastructure. The project includes 55 facilities adapted for people with disabilities.
Six phases
The project consists of six tasks. The first will extend the tram line connecting the housing estates, the Michelin factory and the city centre, and install the ITS. It will be carried out on Piłsudskiego, Wyszyńskiego, Synów Pułku, Krasickiego, and Wilczyńskiego streets.
The second task is the extension of the public transport loop at Wysoka Brama, in the city centre. Task three is the purchase of the new trams. Tasks four and five are the hiring of contract engineers to oversee the first two tasks. The final one is the purchase of real estate to allow for roadworks.
Better connections, less pollution
The project aims to improve connections between the Olsztyn centre, its south-eastern suburbs, and its railway and bus stations. A better-integrated transport system will make it easier to switch between various modes of transport, resulting in faster commutes.
The new and upgraded public transport system is intended to be safe, comfortable and accessible to people with disabilities. It is expected to reduce car traffic, which will in turn reduce congestion and air and noise pollution. New pavements, cycling paths and bicycle parking lots will encourage more residents to walk or cycle, which will in turn help improve road safety and residents’ health and wellbeing.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Development of public transport in Olsztyn - rail traction” is EUR 122 451 414, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 84 858 966 through the “Development of Eastern Poland” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Network Infrastructures in Transport and Energy”.