Revitalization of the Market Square in Liberec for 73 million crowns will begin in the summer

Liberec - The renovation of the Market Square near the municipal swimming pool in Liberec will begin this summer. It will be divided into phases and will take over a year. The contract worth 73.2 million crowns was awarded to the company Metrostav, which was the only bidder. The winner of the competition was approved by the city council on Tuesday. The price is about 50,000 Kč below the level anticipated by the city hall. Jiří Janďourek, the Deputy Mayor of Liberec for architecture, public space, and transport construction (mayors for the Liberec region), told ČTK today that after signing the contract, the company will have 40 to 50 days for preparatory work, so the reconstruction could begin during the summer holidays.

Concerns about the revitalization of the square have been raised in recent weeks by the opposition as well as parts of the coalition. Critics consider the square's renovation to be expensive, and some of the work to be unnecessary. They are also worried about traffic complications. The most frequent complaints were directed at the renovation of the central part of the square. "I can't help but feel that the modification of the center of the square seems to be a construction for the sake of construction. To dig something up and spend some money on it. The result, however, is no improvement, rather the opposite," stated opposition councilor for LOL Jindřich Felcman earlier.

If the city hall only made adjustments related to the roads, sidewalks, public lighting, or collection points for municipal waste, the contract would be about a third cheaper. However, Janďourek believes that the additional work will benefit the square. He considers the return of a functional fountain, a drinking fountain, the addition of public restrooms, and another shop to be beneficial. Dark corners used by drunk people or homeless individuals will disappear from the square.

The deputy mayor identifies traffic adjustments as a key part of the contract. Traffic lights will be added at the busy intersection with Budyšínská and Durychova streets, and the intersection in the bend at the upper part of the square should also be safer. This is the connection with Rumjancevova and Šamánkova streets, where there is a risky exit from the parking lot by the exhibition center. This will be moved to Šamánková street, thus outside the intersection at the square.

"Work on the square will be divided into phases to maintain traffic flow," Janďourek added. Another reason is the modernization of the municipal swimming pool for more than three-quarters of a billion crowns. Metrostav will start work in the area in front of it only after the repair of the pool is completed, which is expected to be in June next year.

Janďourek expects the traffic adjustments to lead to increased use of the recently completed Nová Pastýřská street by motorists. This street connects to the square at its lower part and is part of the constructed inner ring road. "Now 2,500 cars pass through Nová Pastýřská," stated the deputy mayor. After the revitalization of the square is completed, he anticipates that the number of passing cars on Nová Pastýřská will rise to 7,000 per day, while traffic in other streets around the Market Square will decrease. The integration of the square into a mixed zone with a maximum speed of 20 kilometers per hour should also encourage drivers.