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