A Historic Day for Zgorzała and Zamienie

Came the day; came the hour - at a minute past ten the barrier blocking off the new road was removed, and drivers were beckoned towards the new viaduct carrying traffic over the S7 extension to Dawidy Bankowe.

Below: it's just coming up to ten and the commission that formally pronounces the new road open is in place; the bus stop is ready, all is good and the order is given to remove the barriers. 

Below: the final east-to-west crossing over the actual roadway of the S7 extension, about a minute before the barrier was removed and the road opened. Not this way for Warsaw or Kraków (yet); this way for Zamienie and Raszyn.

Below: the first car to legally drive down the new stretch of road was, of course, a black SUV.

 

Below: as the barriers are removed from the new road leading up to the new viaduct, the barriers are put up closing off ulica Dawidowska from traffic. 

Below: the first bus carries passengers across the new viaduct, a 715 headed for P+R Al. Krakowska.

Below: looking at the new viaduct from the Zamienie/Dawidy Bankowe end. There is a) a lack of pavement allowing pedestrians to cross safely from one side to the other; and yet b) no sign prohibiting pedestrians from crossing from side to the other. 

Below: what a sad sight - seeing the bus stops right outside your workplace disappear for ever. At 10am the crews came in to start dismantling Zamienie 01 and Zamienie 02 outside the Action warehouse.

From here, it's a choice of a half-kilometre walk to Zgorzała 01/02 or Starzyńskiego 01/02 in Dawidy Bankowe. As if life for a warehouse worker isn't tough enough as it is, an extra half-hour a day needs to be factored in for getting to and from work.

There's no pavement for pedestrians on the new viaduct; they are expected to cross at a dedicated footbridge with cycle path, at the other end of Zamienie. A lot more walking for local pedestrians.

Below: a footpath has been built to separate pedestrians from works traffic. I'm amazed that temporary footpaths can be built in days, and yet even something like this is better than the mud and fear that pedestrians have to contend with on ul. Karczunkowska.

Below: heading home on the first west-to-east bus to cross the new viaduct (a 715 heading for Ursynów). The driver is being briefed as to the re-routing by an employee of Pogotowie Komunikacji Miejskiej (which Google gives as 'municipal transport emergency service').

Below: OpenStreetMap is ready with the change...

Below: Google Maps is not ready. I have notified them...

It is still uncertain as to when the S7 extension will open. November 2022 the earliest, with single-lane operations on section B (between Lesznowola and Tarczyn), or September 2023 (the whole lot completed and opened in one go).

Weather notes: after a short spell of three clear days, the clouds began rolling in from the west; rain by tomorrow evening. Outlook thereafter - unsettled.

This time last year:
Future, past

This time two years ago:
Birds return to the frozen ponds

This time four years ago:
Bending the forces of physics with your will

This time six years ago:
Giving it up for Lent

This time eight years ago:
North-east of Warsaw West revisited

This time nine years ago:
Looking for answers

This time ten years ago:
Fresh powder in Warsaw's parks

This time 12 years ago:
Another Lent starts

This time 14 years ago:
Okęcie dusk