Trams return to Szopienice

The modernisation works on the tram line section in Katowice Szopienice, passing along the Obrońców Westerplatte street, between Wańkowicza and Korczaka streets, started in April. The company KZN Rail Sp. z o.o from Krakow is the general contractor of the works.

The job included a thorough reconstruction of a 600 m long section of a double-track tram line, the modernisation of the bridge over the Rawa river, the construction of new road-track intersections and pedestrian crossings, and the reconstruction of the roadway, due to which a Vienna type stop originated. The road system did not allow to build a platform here, hence to improve the safety of passengers and their comfort, the roadway in the area of the Szopienice Poczta stop was raised to the level of pavement, forming a so-called Vienna stop. This forces the drivers to substantially reduce their speed, and allows the passengers to easier get on and off the tram. 

The basic part of works has been completed, which will allow to restart the tram traffic. Because of that from Saturday, the 29^th of July, a series of changes in the tram traffic organisation will be introduced:

• trams of line 7 will be running in a shortened relation: Chorzów Batory Zajezdnia – Zawodzie Centrum Przesiadkowe;
• the operation of line 14 trams will be restarted on the route: Katowice pl. Wolności – Katowice Szopienice Pętla,
• the operation of line 15 trams will be restarted in the relation: Sosnowiec Rondo Jana Pawła II – Katowice pl. Wolności,
• trams of line 20 will be running on an extended route: Chorzów Rynek – Szopienice Pętla,
• the timetable of line 23 will change,
• the operation of line 26 trams will be restarted in the relation: Milowice Pętla – Pogoń Będzińska Pętla,
• tram lines 35 and 37 will be suspended,
• substitute bus lines T-15 and T-34 will be suspended and the route of substitute bus line T-14 will be shortened to the relation: Mysłowice Poczta – Szopienice Kościół.

The restarting of traffic does not mean that all the works have been finished. The general contractor will be continuing the finishing and then the clean-up works. To perform part of them it still will be necessary to suspend the traffic on the modernised section during the weekend(s). 

source: Tramwaje Śląskie