Investing
into mobility and
the City’s
infrastructure
Development of transport
system has been falling
behind the growing
needs of the city
mobility. Within
the overall investment
system, special attention
is being given to
mobility requirements
of persons with special
needs.
-
an
important investment:
extension of Radnička
road in eastern
part of the City
is almost finished,
connecting the
city with the already
completed new bridge
(Domovinski most)
across Sava, and,
through the road
ring, with regional
motorways;
-
in
cooperation with
the scientific
community of
Zagreb feasibility
studies for building
a tunnel through
Medvednica, (to
position Zagreb
in the centre
of gravity of
the region),
for a Light rail
system, for two
new bridges across
Sava and for
the northern
belt road on
the slopes of
Medvednica, have
been conducted;
-
Croatian
railways already
having an important
role in the City’s
public transportation
system, will
become even more
important for
the City of Zagreb;
-
together
with Croatian
Government the
City of Zagreb
will enter the
project of reconstructing
the Zagreb
Airport;
ZAGREB
joins IMPACTS
For
some years IMPACTS
has been attempting
to extend its coverage
into Central and
Eastern Europe to
embrace the enlargement
of the EU. At the
General Assembly
in Vienna members
unanimously took
the opportunity to
welcome the City
of Zagreb as a member
for 2006 with immediate
effect.
Not only did the
city join the association
it also offered to
host a conference
in 2008. Slavko Dakic
was therefore elected
onto the new Executive
Committee as Vice-President.
URBAN
EXPANSION AND URBAN
INFRASTRUCTURE
The
spatial and demographic
explosion in Zagreb
that first happened
after the end of
World War 2, and
then again in the
early nineties, resulted
in massive demands
for housing throughout
the city’s
220 sq km area.
After
World War II the
city expands towards
the southern banks
of Sava river, with
construction of the
Zagreb International
Fair, large new housing
projects as well
as the new airport,
but without providing
for adequate mobility.
A new bridge across
the river on the
central axis was
constructed only
in the sixties, and
was followed by two
other bridges in
the seventies’ and
eighties’.
Tram lines connecting
this largest housing
concentration in
Zagreb have only
been in place since
1979. The urban infrastructure,
and especially traffic
infrastructure remains
insufficient and
pose a significant
challenge to the
city.
The
second housing expansion
predominantly took
place on former industrial, ¨brownfield¨,
areas, in the vicinity
of the historic core.
From the point of
view of urban planning
this development
was a logical step,
but everything happened
too suddenly. Because
the spatial explosion
was not followed
by adequate investment
in urban infrastructure
and especially in
transport infrastructure,
new housing as the
sole land use remarkably
increased demand
for mobility.
MAIN
MOBILITY PROBLEMS
Since
expansion of Zagreb
is limited by the
mountain Medvednica
to the north, and
by the aquifer area
on its south, large
numbers of Zagreb
citizens moved out
from the city into
the surrounding metropolitan
area (approximately
70 autonomous urban
and suburban settlements),
with jobs remaining
within the city.
This resulted in
an increased demand
for mobility.
Urban
planning not only
did not stop this
trend. The main document
directing urban development,
Zagreb's City Master
Plan adopted in 2003
facilitated this
trend, which aggravated
the problem. Large
shopping areas on
the city's outskirts
operating throughout
the day, also increased
use of personal vehicles
due to a lack of
alternative means
of transportation.
The
existing railway
system that inhibits
merging of areas
north and south of
the track was the
dominant problem
in the field of urban
development as early
as the beginning
of the 20th Century.
Problems concerning
mobility within the
city have also increased
because of a:
Traffic
studies that were
conducted by 1999
emphasized the need
for systematic construction
of the street network
and improvement of
the city's public
transportation (tram,
bus, and railways
as part of the public
transportation in
both the city and
in the region). These
studies recommended
a new system of light
rail for the main
routes where demand
for mobility and
for improved quality
were greatest.
NEW
TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE
TO SOLVE MOBILITY
PROBLEMS
The
city tries to cope
with these problems
in systematic collaboration
with the scientific
community, notably
with Zagreb University.
Studies which will
determine details
of these projects
and their respective
relations, are either
being conducted,
or are already completed.
The
first project,
whose purpose is
to really put Zagreb
into the centre of
its region and connect
the area north of
Medvednica with the
city itself, is construction
of the 5,5 km long
tunnel through Medvednica.
This study has already
been completed.
The second project
is directly linked
to the first one
and investigates
completion of the
northern side of
the City Road Ring,
which will connect
existing major traffic
routes with the tunnel
through Medvednica
on its north, and
with existing and
new bridges across
the river on its
southern side.
The
third project is
a study for a Light
Rail System as
part of the public
transportation system
(within the City
and linking the city
with its surroundings),
connected with existing
railway system, as
well as with new
lines which will
in part (within the
historic centre)
be underground.
The
fourth project
concerns elevating
railway tracks leading
through the city
centre by some 5
- 7 m, which will
permit integration
on ground level of
areas north and south
of tracks within
the city centre,
and construction
of approximately
900.000 sq metres
of new commercial
surface and parking
/ garage area.
The fifth project
concerns an extensive
reconstruction and
modernization of
Zagreb Airport. Along
the existing runway
construction of a
new passenger terminal
on NE, with appropriate
infrastructure -
hotel, parking garage
and business complex
are being planned.
The airport will
be connected with
the city through
a new highway, as
well as with a rail
connection.
FINANCING
OF PROJECTS
Since
the city will not
be able to finance
all the necessary
infrastructure from
its budget alone,
it is actively seeking
external partners
or investors.
