Brno will reconstruct the public transport hub at Mendlovo náměstí

Brno - At Mendlovo náměstí in Brno, one of the main public transport transfer hubs, traveling will be simplified. The city will redesign the terminal to bring the stops for trams, buses, and trolleybuses closer together and reduce the crossings of routes. The solution proposed by urban planners has been evaluated by transport experts in recent months. They have determined that the design can be realized, said Martin Ander, the mayor's deputy, to ČTK today.
    According to Ander, transport experts were examining, for example, whether trolleybuses and buses could navigate the routes proposed by urban planners. They also investigated whether traffic could be managed at traffic lights. Now that the evaluation has turned out positively, the designers will prepare documents for the necessary permits. "So that we could apply for European funding sometime at the beginning of next year," said the deputy.
    The redesign of the square aims to speed up traffic. This will be aided by the fact that trolleybuses will no longer cross the tram tracks three times and wait at three traffic lights on the route from Hlinky Street to Úvoz, but will only cross the route once. The comfort for passengers is expected to increase, mainly due to the closer placement of stops and the construction of new shelters.
    Brno experts agree that Mendlovo náměstí needs not only the reorganization of traffic but also an urban redesign. The dominant feature of the square - the complex of the Augustinian monastery and the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary - is obscured by a residential building built in the middle of the square during communism. The city hall is considering its demolition, which would open up the square and allow the sacred buildings to stand out.
    However, according to Ander, the investment will take place only after the redesign of the transport hub. It would not be prepared in time for 2013, by which time the city can apply for European funds. Planning the demolition of the building will be complicated, also because the city only owns part of the apartments inside, and thus will have to purchase the rest from the owners.