BUSINESS
Dealing with transportation is
somewhat of a thankless task. What
are your priorities in your position,
and what do you consider most
pressing?
Ostrava has a decent transportation
network, however, we are beginning
to see some of it’s limits. We need to
keep up our development of public
transport, finish constructing certain
key transportation structures as well
as backbone cycling routes. The issue
of parking spaces in certain locations
is a chapter of its own. In my opinion,
“
Our focus should mainly be
directed at connecting Poruba
with the city center
and Ostrava-Jih.
”
some of the most crucial construction
projects include the III. phase of
Místecká by the Tatran sports hall,
the Northern connection to Poruba,
and the bridge across Odra towards
Petřkovice, just to name a few. These
projects are currently ongoing and their
progress has reached certain phases
that makes up our main transport
priorities. Other urgent projects include
entrance ramps at the Místecká x Rudná
juncion, the extension of Krmelínská,
a sort of traffic bypass of Ostrava Jih,
and the widening of Moravská street on
the cusp of Ostrava Jih and Vítkovice.
As far as cycling routes are concerned,
our focus should mainly be directed at
connecting Poruba with the city center
and Ostrava Jih.
The Místecká street you mentioned
is an important traffic artery. Many
of Ostrava’s citizens consider it to be
the main exit route towards the Beskid
mountains. Could you clue us in to
the current state of the “extended
Místecká street?”
Nowadays, this road is a “tourist exit”
towards the Beskid mountains because
Místecká is an important junction used
by the entire city. Many people use this
road to enter Ostrava from Beskydy
when commuting to work, going
shopping or when reaching other forms
of entertainment. It is a key traffic artery
that is currently constricted at the Tatran
sports hall. Currently, we have a draft
for a solution and is being forged into
project documentation. Even the state
government realizes the importance of
this project, which is why it will fund
a large part of it. We have a signed
memorandum regarding this project’s
financing on the city, regional and state
level. 2027-2028 is the timeframe we are
currently debating with the state. After
its completion, passing through the city
will be much smoother, and the traffic
jams we are currently experiencing by
the former Kotas winter stadium will
disappear.
We are deliberating over the
“execution
of a Ostrava – Orlová
– Karviná connection.
”
Not everyone wants to or can afford
to drive, meaning that public transport
is also critical. What is your evaluation
of Ostrava’s current public transport
system?
In my opinion, Ostrava’s public transport
is the best, most modern system in
the country. When considering our
modern vehicles, ecological buses or
smart stops, I think we have nothing
to be ashamed of. DPO was a pioneer
in modernizing ticketing systems, at
a time when physical paper tickets
were the standard, they introduced
the possibility of purchasing tickets with
bank cards in the vehicles themselves.
We will definitely continue in this
modernization, however, transport
vehicles will not be our only priority. We
are planning on expanding, namely our
tram lines. Currently, we are deliberating
over the execution of a Ostrava - Orlová
- Karviná connection. Preparations are
also being made for the planning of
a tram line cutting through Dolní Oblast
Vítkovice to Černá Louka. This project
will include a brand new urban district
between DOV and the city center.
We are also verifying the possibility
of constructing an extra tram track in
Poruba.
Sports is also part of your jurisdiction.
What does the concept of “city of
sports” include? Will Ostrava keep
hosting popular international events?
Sports are a part of Ostrava. We
host a number of professional, semiprofessional and amateur sports clubs.
We support leisure sports and manage
a very expansive sports infrastructure,
which we intend on developing and
modernizing further. I strongly believe
that the prestigious events Ostrava
currently hosts will remain here, and
a few new ones might pop up as
well. The organizers of these events
appreciate the foundation Ostrava
offers them, as well as the great
audience it has.
Dear deputy Mayor, thank you for
the interview.
Text: redakce
Foto: Jiří Zerzoň,
Statutární město Ostrava
POSITIV 4/2022 ǀ 27