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As much as 74% of the area used for the construction of the tram route to Mistrzejowice is to be biologically active. An important element will be the so-called green trackbed where sedum mats will be installed. It is an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to a traditional lawn.

Green trackbed technology is becoming increasingly popular in Polish cities. It is not only aesthetic but also eco-friendly and cost effective. This solution enables filtration of pollution, e.g. dust stirred up by vehicle traffic, and, to a certain extent, reduces the noise by absorbing acoustic energy. Therefore, when designing KST IV, the private partner undertook to introduce greenery within the trackbed area, wherever technically feasible, instead of using concrete or crashed stone ballast. And this all will be done in an exceptional way.

Colorful drought-resistant carpets

Instead of traditionally sown grass, the trackbed will be decorated with sedum mats made of drought-resistant plants. In spring and in summer, sedums bloom beautifully creating a colorful carpet, whereas in autumn, their colors change to brown and red. So, they please they eye, regardless of the season. What is more, installation of sedum mats is quick and extremely easy. And what about the effect? It is immediately visible – without waiting for the greenery to sprout.

It is worth mentioning that maintenance of sedum mats is easy and cheap – they do not have to be mown or regularly watered since they are drought-resistant. As a comparison: in order to mow grass sown within the area of the designed trackbed between the intersection of Meissnera / Lema Streets and the Mistrzejowice terminus, 37,182 liters of fuel would be needed per year*. This amount refers to the mowers only (excluding the fuel needed to transport the equipment, personnel or the grass cut). In order to water such grass-covered tram tracks just once, 123,970 liters of water would be needed, totaling 5,578,650 liters of water per year!** These are real benefits for the environment (resource saving) and for the budget.

The company Tramwaje Warszawskie calculated that maintenance of 1 linear meter of a single track of a green trackbed made of sedum mats is cheaper by ca. 85 zlotys/year than maintenance of 1 linear meter of traditional lawn.

Less dust, greater diversity

As regards more mundane environmental benefits – urban areas planted with sedums are an example of green infrastructure creating the so-called green corridors which increase biodiversity and reduce the temperature of the surrounding environment. They also retain rainwater at the place of their accumulation and filtrate air by preventing dust emission. Furthermore, they reduce the level of noise generated by trams. Such a solution, the benefits of which are obvious, can be applied also on roofs of passenger waiting shelters.

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* assuming that the surface area of the green trackbed amounts to 12,397 m², the period it has to be mown lasts 6 months a year and 1.5 l of fuel is needed to mow 1 m² of the lawn

** assuming that grass has to be watered 3 times a week during 15 weeks per year

photo: UM Poznan

By phone, e-mail or Messenger? Here’s how you can reach us to get reliable information about the construction of Tramway route to Mistrzejowice.

Since mid-June 2021 when the design hotline was launched and a dedicated inbox set up for the Tramway to Mistrzejowice, several dozens of individuals and organizations have used these communication channels. This is the easiest and fastest way to obtain information about the future construction or to make a comment or file a request. Each contact made is recorded together with the response time. We want our replies to be helpful and comprehensive and made in the shortest possible time.

Hotline +48 722 22 00 88 is available throughout the entire design and construction phase from Monday to Friday between 8 am and 4 pm. Please send your e-mails to info@tramwajdomistrzejowic.pl. However, these are not the only contact channels with the tramway construction site office.

Tramway to Mistrzejowice in the social media

Many residents are reaching us in the social media – they post comments or use Messenger at the Facebook page of the Tramway to Mistrzejowice. Since the project is still in the design phase, responses reflect the current state of works and the solutions addressed in the questions may still be subject to adjustments. Thank you for your opinions, we follow and participate in the discussions on our Facebook page. Don’t forget to follow our LinkedIn profile and the project website to find regular updates. We will launch Instagram channel once the construction starts.

In the future residents will be able to visit us personally – there are plans to open a permanent information point in the area of the construction site.

Disability ramps, elevators, tactile paving – these are just selected examples of solutions that make it easier for disabled passengers to use public transport. The design of the tram route to Mistrzejowice features many more of them. It is focusing especially on the needs of persons with reduced mobility, using wheelchairs as well as the blind and partially sighted.

The right cars are not enough to make public transport friendly for the disabled, the elderly or parents with children in prams. Getting on and off a tram or bus safely is equally important. It is vital that the newly designed stops be safe and comfortable for passengers with special needs.

The tram route to Mistrzejowice was designed both in accordance with technical requirements for roads and engineering structures as well as with the guidelines of the Consulting Team for the accessibility of urban infrastructure for the disabled. “We put special emphasis on eliminating potential barriers on the stop platforms for people with mobility limitations, people in wheelchairs, partially sighted and the blind” – says Anna Marczewska-Wojtas, KST IV Architecture Coordinator with Gülermak. The solutions also include amenities for parents with small children.

Tram stops on the route to Mistrzejowice are available for the disabled

Platform edges and areas just before steps to the underground stops (by the stairs) will feature warning stripes with a changed texture and contrasting colors. “Convenient elevators will be providing access for persons with reduced mobility, including wheelchair users, to all levels of underground stops at Polsadu and Młyńskie roundabouts” – says Marcin Hanczakowski, Director of Kraków Municipal Road Authority (ZDMK). Parents with children in prams will also be happy to use them.

Underground floors will have tactile paving for the blind and partially sighted to guide them to all areas and devices that can be used by these persons, e.g. elevators, stairs, platforms.  “Marked changes in traffic directions together with media lanes form an uninterrupted communication route to facilitate movement and orientation in the facility” – says Anna Marczewska-Wojtas. The floor and walls of the underground areas will be made of various materials, contrasting in color, and the finishing materials will not be glaring. The surface of floors or stairs will be anti-slippery.

As the underground station at Polsadu roundabout will have public toilets, there will be a separate toilet equipped with sanitary facilities adapted to the needs of the disabled. There will also be a room for parents with children with a changing table and a feeding place.

Safe pedestrians along the tram route to Mistrzejowice

Warning stripes will also be made before and at pedestrian crossings, on the border between the pavement and the street lane. Pedestrian routes have been designed so that people on wheelchairs have room for movement, including maneuvering space for changing direction. They will also be free from any obstacles while and the so-called street architecture items, like litter bins, information boards, etc., will be placed outside the main communication space. Pavements and external ramps will be made of durable materials intended for intensively used areas.

– Use of private capital from the free market enabled commencement of a project which is vital for the residents. First payment will be made to the partner only once the route is opened – stresses Marcin Hanczakowski, Director of Kraków Municipal Road Authority (ZDMK).

Why has the city decided to choose the PPP model for this project?

Investment budgets of local government administration are limited due to the necessity of financing an increasing number of new tasks. The ability of local government to incur liabilities, hence to provide direct (own) financing, is getting smaller. Thus, the city of Kraków decided to use government support for projects in the public-private partnership (PPP) model. It presented the task which was noticed and selected. Use of private capital from the free market will enable construction of this connection within only a few next years, which connection is so important for the residents. One of the main challenges is to provide a connection between this part of the city and the city center as soon as possible. The first tranche payment will be made to the partner once the rout is opened.

The new tram route is to run along Meissnera, Młyńska, Lublańska, Dobrego Pasterza, Bohomolca and Jancarza Streets. What led to the selection of this route?

As a matter of fact, the Mistrzejowice district located in the northern part of Kraków has a tram connection with the city center, however it is an indirect route running through the neighboring district – Nowa Huta. In order to get to the so-called first bypass of Kraków, the tram from the Mistrzejowice terminus has to cover the distance of 11 km. Several options of the new tram route connecting this part of the city with its center have been discussed in Kraków for a long time as the next stage of extension of the Kraków Fast Tram (KST). In public consultations, 63% of the residents opted for the chosen route. In 2015, the city finally decided to choose a route of approx. 4.5 km, running almost the entire length along existing streets and crossing three major roundabouts crucial for the communication system of Kraków. The line would connect with the existing tram road to Nowa Huta at the intersection of Meissnera and Jana Pawła II streets.

A part of the route is to run underground. Will there be a tunnel similar to the one under the Main Railway Station which is well-known to the passengers?

The designed tunnel will in fact be similar in certain respects to the existing structure in the area of the main railway station but also to the tram tunnel which is being constructed as part of the Łagiewnicka Route. Its part will be an enclosed structure below the ground level, whereas the rest of it will be open. In the area of Polsadu roundabout, a passenger transfer point is planned to be constructed with tram traffic on -2 level and pedestrian circulation on -1 level. The underground stops will be accessed from entrances located on each side of the roundabout and equipped with elevators and escalators. Such a solution will enhance safety of passengers, in particular the elderly, people with reduced mobility or parents with children in prams. Also at Młyńskie roundabout, the stop will be located on -1 level. It will be accessed by means of two staircases, on the northern side of the roundabout with traditional stairs and elevators.

In Polish cities there are more and more tram routes with the so-called green trackbed. Will the route to Mistrzejowice also follow this trend?

In recent years, it can be seen that in urban agglomeration, where there is a strong emphasis on environmental issues, green trackbed systems are constructed. This solution enables filtration of pollution, e.g. dust stirred up by vehicle traffic, and, to a certain extent, reduces the noise absorbing acoustic energy. Being aware of those advantages, we obliged the private partner to design and apply green trackbed on the route to Mistrzejowice to the greatest extent possible.

What is the current stage of the project?

The partner filed an application for a road construction consent (ZRID). Works on the detailed design are still in progress – the building permit design is being complemented and elaborated.  According to the new schedule, the residents will be able to use the new route in December 2024.

There is more into the tramway to Mistrzejowice than a trackbed. It is an urban set-up developed almost from scratch which must support a number of functions. It will not be complete without new plantings designed as part of the vegetation management project. The plan is to introduce over 1,000 new trees in the area of the investment as well as almost 6,500 sqm of shrubs.

Vegetation under scrutiny

The first predevelopment plan along the future KST IV route was made in 2015 at the stage of preparing the environmental impact report. Already then it was revealed that the condition of a large part of the trees leaves much to be desired: mechanical damage to the bark, frost ribs, mushroom fruiting bodies, droughts, deviations from the vertical. These factors may contribute to further degradation of these plantings. In total, 75% of the trees listed were selected for removal, of which 7% were intended for sanitary cuts.

In the spring of 2021 and at the request of the private partner, another predevelopment plan was made, which – given how important vegetation is for the Kraków residents – was repeated in the summer (as part of the verifying and supplementary predevelopment). On top of that, the contractor personally supervised and reviewed the location and condition of each single tree which could still be saved. “We have been looking at every single tree as an individual case. An environmental protection specialist and construction site manager have been scrutinizing the cases of trees colliding with the planned infrastructure. This way the design was modified so that at the design assumptions stage a row of 23 birches at Meissnera street could be saved or black locust at the Bareja roundabout” – says Paweł Motyka, Deputy Project Manager at Gülermak. It was also possible to reduce the area of shrub clearance by 6.2%.

International standards

Nevertheless, the predevelopment confirmed the findings from the environmental impact report: most plantings directly collide with the planned tramway route, newly designed pedestrian and bicycle routes or the planned alterations of heat pipeline, sanitary sewers network, gas pipelines or electricity systems. “The project is implemented in a partnership formula, but environmental protection matters were outside of the scope of any negotiations while preparing the contract. There can be no breach to the decision on environmental conditions agreed upon with the local community. The aim of the project is to improve the comfort of residents” – says Marcin Hanczakowski, Director of Kraków Municipal Road Authority (ZDMK).

In addition, given the process of obtaining funding for the project implementation, the requirements of banks approached by the private partner are also taken into account. Since international financing institutions are to be involved, the project must meet not only Polish legal requirements, but also international standards in the field of environmental protection and vegetation management.

Urban-resistant species

You cannot simply ignore that 60% of trees covered by the predevelopment plan have defects, among others drought, humus or traces of pest feeding. 5% are decaying. Some have never been a good fit for urban environment.

The contractor shall replace them with species that are more resistant to traffic pollution, drought, frost and salinity. As part of the vegetation management project developed over 1,000 new trees (e.g. common oak, hornbeam, small-leaved lime, Japanese creeper) will be planted in the area of the investment as well as almost 6,500 sq.m. of shrubs.

“We design cover vegetation that absorbs dust and other impurities as well as decorative vegetation in the form of clusters and cut hedges that create aesthetic multicolored compositions. Wherever technically possible, sedum mats will be placed on the trackbed as an all-year-round aesthetic solution” – says Agnieszka Gurgacz, environmental protection specialist with Gülermak. They are also easy to maintain: they don’t need to be watered or mowed as often as grass which saves resources and money. Decorative plantings (including roses) are considered along the investment as well as the so-called green stops and flower meadows. Eventually, as much as 74% of the area used for the construction of the tram route is to be biologically active. This is the same as 4,514 perpendicular parking spaces.

How trees will be selected for replanting?

The predevelopment also made it possible to select trees for replanting. A meticulous approach to the matter enabled qualifying several dozen young trees for relocation. According to estimates, the age limit for the adaptation of a replanted tree is 20-25 years. The chances for surviving are dropping to below 30% for older trees.

“It is a truth commonly acknowledged that you should not replant old trees – says Agnieszka Gurgacz. – The survival of an older tree in a new environment is very difficult for many reasons and it can take up to 3 years to prepare it for the actual relocation. During this time its roots must be cut in a special way” – explains the expert.

The area of the investment features a number of species that do not tolerate replanting, e.g. English oak, walnut, spruce. There is a high risk of drying out. In turn, features like good phytosanitary condition or symmetry boost chances for successful replanting.

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Building a new tramway infrastructure in an existing urban set-up requires compromise and taking into account the interests of many parties. On top of a fast and reliable public transport, residents expect comfortable bicycle paths, wide pavements, lighting that boosts security and neat land development.

Vegetation is part of it. Apart from its aesthetic value, it performs many functions important for the city: it lowers the real feel temperature in the summer and stimulates biodiversity. That is why a vegetation management design is so important and is preceded by a detailed predevelopment plan. It determines the species of trees and shrubs growing in the project impact zone and allows for measuring the circumference of trunks, estimating the height and diameter of crowns and establishing the condition of each tree. The plan serves as the basis for revealing possible collisions with the planned infrastructure and identifying the avoidable ones. Compensation plantings along the investment are also designed. It is important that they have the best chance of surviving for many years in difficult urban conditions, especially given the increase in the average temperature on Earth.

Appropriate tests are needed to ensure that traffic vibrations do not exceed the comfort limit for persons who live around the future tram route. For that purpose, data collected during measurements performed within the area of the project will be used among others.

Sensors on structural components of the buildings and disks inside a chosen room are elements of the instrumentation measuring traffic vibrations in the area of the future KST IV route. They are induced i.a. by a heavy vehicle driving over a speed bump. – In such a way, we analyze the behavior of the structure under the impact of vibrations and we verify stiffness of slabs in representative buildings – explains prof. Tadeusz Tatara, expert in the field of seismic and paraseismic vibrations, building dynamics as well as diagnostics and monitoring of civil engineering structures. At the request of the private partner, the measurements are performed under the supervision of prof. Tatara by accredited Deformations and Vibrations of Structures Laboratory of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Cracow University of Technology.

Analysis of vibrations along the planned tram route

Selected representative buildings vary in their functions (e.g. residential or office buildings), type (e.g. one-family houses and multi-family buildings), construction technology (e.g. conventional and precast) as well as distance from the designed tram route. However, they share the same characteristics with other buildings erected or planned in the area of the project. They represent the different types of the structures.

Measurements carried out on that buildings will be used for calibration of dynamic models, which, in turn, will be used in numerical analyses thanks to which it will be possible to estimate the impact of vibrations on the buildings and people inside them. On that basis, adequate vibration isolation measures (if needed) could be chosen in order to minimize that impact and ensure everyday comfort for all people in the neighborhood of the project.

More information about vibration isolation solutions can be found here.

The cooperation of private and public partners under the KST IV project will last 24 years. What was the first year like? Here’s the summary!

The contract for the design, financing, construction and maintenance of the tramway route to Mistrzejowice was signed at the end of December 2020. It created quite a buzz, because the project is the third PPP investment in the history of the Polish market in terms of capital expenditure and, at the same time, the largest in the transport sector. It assumes a partnership cooperation and split of risks between the Kraków Municipality and a consortium of PPP Solutions Polska and Gülermak. The selected private partner is supposed not only to finance and build the new infrastructure, but also to maintain it for 20 years. . The public entity will therefore become financially involved only when the tram starts transporting passengers. The entity responsible for the project on behalf of the city is Kraków Municipal Road Authority (ZDMK).

The tramway to Mistrzejowice: design works

Early in 2021 the designer for the project was selected – the consortium of Arcadis and Prota Polska – as well as the Contract Engineer: INKO Consulting. Works on the design could go full steam ahead. However, before it was finalized, ZDMK requested an analysis of possibly extending the underground section of the route so that the grade-separated solution would be applied under both the Polsadu roundabout and the Młyńskie roundabout. This was related to the plans for building a premetro that would be partially overlapping with the tram route to Mistrzejowice. Design works, cost calculations and extensive arrangements for the new scope were still ongoing when the design concept received a positive opinion from the contract engineer (June). All the works were continued at the stage of developing the architectural and building design.

During the summer holidays, noise level measurements were made to design acoustic protection and geological surveys were launched to establish soil and water conditions where the tunnel would be built. At the same time, arrangements were made with many participants in the investment process, including the owners of underground networks, Wody Polskie (National Water Management Authority), the City of Kraków’s Municipal Traffic Engineer. Their outcome will be decisive for the date of filing the request for a road construction consent decision (ZRID). In 2021, a positive opinion was obtained from of the Municipal Team for Vulnerable Road Users.

In the recent months the solutions for Młyńskie roundabout were approved that can be implemented after the resolution by the City Council where additional funds have been secured for this purpose in the Multiannual Financial Forecast.

Tramway to Mistrzejowice: in touch with the locals

Since early spring, Gülermak – in cooperation with ZDMK – has been launching channels for communicating with local residents: the FB profile, the website, the project hotline, e-mails. Nearly 70 individuals and organizations have directly asked questions about the project using these channels. Then there are dozens of questions in the comments to our Facebook posts which were also answered.

A period of several weeks turned out to be important from the perspective of relations with residents: the second stage of public consultation held at the turn of August and September. The most important matters for the local community were revealed in the survey, during online and stationary meetings with experts as well as in telephone conversations. We were also able to reach out to the local residents in the Mobile Information Outlet in November on the Młyńskie roundabout.

“Little Masters – to Mistrzejowice by tram” was a project for the youngest residents from the kindergartens in Prądnik Czerwony and Mistrzejowice districts. In 2021 over 650 kids took part in the initiative.

Tramway to Mistrzejowice: What will the coming months bring?

A team of designers, industry professionals, planners, experts in investment financing and control are working hard to kick off the works next year. The first weeks of 2022 will witness finalizing the arrangements and completing documents necessary to file for the RCC decision. It may take up to several months before it is reviewed. Talks with banks will also be finalized to sign a direct agreement that will launch the project implementation.

According to the updated schedule, construction will start in Q2 2022 and will last until the end of 2024.

It is now certain that the underground part of the tram route to Mistrzejowice will be over 1.2 km – trams will cross the Młyńskie roundabout in a grade-separated way. With additional funds for the investment approved by the Kraków City Council, the PPP contract was amended.

Changes in the design, approved at the end of December, enable a grade-separated tram route on level -1 not only under Polsadu roundabout, but also under Młyńskie roundabout. The tram will start descending to a half-open, secured excavation already around Pszona Street in order to pass under the Młyńskie roundabout without affecting the traffic on the surface. “The underground option will not only shorten the tram journey time, but also improve traffic organization in the area of the intersection” – says Paweł Motyka, Deputy Project Manager at Gülermak. Passengers will get on the tram in this area already on level -1 reaching the stop using traditional stairs, escalators or spacious lifts.

In the area of Polsadu roundabout, trams will continue in a tunnel similar to the one under the Main Railway Station and will resurface before Barei roundabout. This way it will run smoother and safer through the over 1.2-kilometer part of the planned route.

Tramway to Mistrzejowice to go underground

As a reminder: initially, the tram route to Mistrzejowice would cross the Młyńskie roundabout on the surface. Analyzes were launched in spring into placing the tracks at level -1. The design was ready in October. In December, Kraków City Council allocated additional funds in the Multiannual Financial Forecast which gave the green light to changes in the PPP contract. Last works are now in progress on finalizing the road network along the entire investment.

A route offering a perspective for premetro

An extended underground part of the route will be an advantage only for the tram passengers, but also for future users of the premetro. The city authorities have recently approved the study of its first line (from Nowa Huta to Bronowice) where both routes will be aligned at a distance of approx. 700 meters. “We make every effort to ensure that our investment fits in with other planned municipal projects. The new tram route will be coordinated with that of the premetro” – said Marcin Hanczakowski, director of Kraków Municipal Road Authority (ZDMK) in an interview for the transport-publiczny.pl website. The change involves the construction of a turnout chamber to direct the metro cars towards Pilotów street without direct interference with the new infrastructure.

We already know what the stop in the tunnel of the Krakow Fast Tram to Mistrzejowice will look like. The main theme of the selected design are the materials characteristic of Krakow’s walls – stone and brick. A large skylight will provide adequate lighting of the interior of the underground station at Polsadu roundabout.

Architectural design of the Polsadu roundabout stop prepared by the Prota Polska Sp. z o.o. company on behalf of Gülermak has been positively received by the Chief Architect of the City of Kraków.   It features two underground floors: level -2 with tram platforms and level -1 with circulation paths for pedestrians leading to the ground level through four staircases. Each exit pavilion will be roofed and have traditional stairs, escalators and elevators to serve bicycles or prams. The stop is fully accessible to persons with reduced mobility. Underground – on top of areas for passengers – there will be premises for staff of the tram stop and tunnel services as well as technical rooms for safe and proper operations of the facility.

No more boring pedestrian tunnels

The designers knew the drawback of tunnels and other linear structures: the monotony of long corridors. To prevent it, a cladding system was designed on the walls underground. The pattern is repeatable yet the effect is different depending on the viewing angle. Even though made of modern materials, the cladding will refer to the raw materials so common across Kraków’s historic streets.

“The starting point for us when designing the stop at Polsadu roundabout were the materials that dominate the architecture of Kraków: stone and brick” – says Małgorzata Marcinkowska, an architect with Prota Polska Sp. z o.o. “Walls made of these materials are arranged in a specific way and display certain rhythm, especially the details of the brick threads. Our idea was to translate this pattern into large-format geometric forms of interior cladding and to apply an analogous color scheme” – explains the designer.

Exit pavilions featuring contrasting items

Brick walls, overgrown with vines, are also typical landscape in Prądnik Czerwony – a district in Kraków rich in monastery buildings. This is the association visible in exit pavilions which were designed in a contrastive manner. “One of the walls is a reference to a massive wall covered with vegetation, the rest of the pavilion is a light, glazed steel structure” – says Małgorzata Marcinkowska. The species of plants that make up the ‘green wall’ will be carefully selected so that they are easy to maintain and aesthetic throughout the year.