Opening of Węzeł Zamienie gets ever closer

It's been 22 months since work began on the S7 extension as it ploughs through the fields west of Jeziorki. It has changed the character of this quiet corner on Warsaw's southern edge.

Below: bus stop at the edge of town - just beyond the pedestrian crossing. This will serve the 715 and 809 bus routes which currently stop in Zamienie just outside the Action warehouse. Once the new viaducts are open, those two bus stops (Zamienie 01 and -02) will be liquidated, leaving Zamienie without any bus stops. Passengers will either have to use the ones to the west of the new road viaduct (Starzyńskiego 01 and -02), over half a kilometre to the north in Dawidy Bankowe, or these bus stops, located in Jeziorki, also over half a kilometre away to the east. It'll be interesting to see whether the new bus stops are named 'Zgorzała 01 and -02', despite not actually being in Zgorzała. The current temporary pair, around the corner on ul. Karczunkowska, are named Zgorzała 51 and -52 (the '5' prefix signifies a temporary stop). Both are actually in Warsaw, within Zone 1.

Below: the pavement along the S7 extension's eastern service road now stretches past the roundabout and viaduct all the way to Dawidy. It will be possible to walk there - but not to Dawidy Bankowe across the viaduct as it has no pavement for pedestrians. The building to the left is the office and social facilities of the Obwód Utrzymania Drogi "Zamienie" (OUD = highway maintenance depot). I guess this place will have a 24-hour canteen for the road workers - I just wonder whether it will be open to the general public (this is quite usual in Poland, especially where the catering is outsourced). It would be great to be able to pop in for a bowl of żurek and plate of pierogi at half past midnight. 

"Welcome to Warsaw where the local time is twenty to three in the afternoon and the temperature is two degrees Celsius. The speed limit is 50km/h and there is to be no overtaking on this stretch of road."

Below: looking south towards Zgorzała from the eastern end of the new road viaduct. The lane markings are in place as are the road signs - can't be long until it's all opened. The reverse view of the photo above (note the OUD buildings now to the right).

Below: looking across the viaduct towards Dawidy Bankowe. I love the look of fresh asphalt, still black with newness, virginal-white lane markings, unused by traffic.

Let me take another look. Note lack of pavement. Pedestrians are not meant to be crossing here. If you want to walk from Jeziorki to Dawidy Bankowe, you are supposed to do so via Zamienie.

Below: the brudasi are at it already, even before the service road is open. Most probably the same brudas that dumped plastic and other non-metal car parts by the railway line (in the distance) over the summer; I guess it's a car recycling plant that makes its money on steel for whom plastic needs to be disposed of at the lowest cost. Time to bring back the stocks and the lash. Happy to administer.

Below: a 715 heads towards the Park & Ride on Al. Krakowskie. Hybrid buses serve this route; I like how quietly they pull away from stops.  To the left, temporary bus stop Zgorzała 51, not actually in Zgorzała. This is the border between Zone 1 (within the boundaries of the City of Warsaw) and Zone 2 (the outer suburbs).

Below: hauling back a rake of empty coal wagons, a 'Gagar' (Soviet-built M62 diesel loco) passes W-wa Jeziorki station on its way back to the sidings at Okęcie. In the livery of private-sector operator, Orion Kolej.

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