The tram line will return to Wenceslas Square

Prague - A tramway line will return to Wenceslas Square in Prague. The city hall is still unsure whether trams will run regularly here. The tracks could also serve as a backup in case of an accident on Ječná Street. This was stated today by Mayor Pavel Bém (ODS) to ČTK. The city council will discuss the reconstruction of the entire square within a month, and according to Bém, the work will begin next year.
    The repair of Wenceslas Square will bring several significant changes. Cars will park underground or in inner courtyards of buildings, new greenery will be planted, and the architectural concept of the entire square will change. For example, there will be new entrances to the subway, and the sausage stalls will be altered. "It is not true that the stalls will disappear from Wenceslas Square; they have their tradition," the mayor noted. However, he added that there will be fewer of them and they will be built in a uniform architectural style.
    The return of trams is a much-discussed topic. "We are ready to introduce a tram line as at least an alternative emergency solution in the event of some mishap on Ječná Street so that public transport is not paralyzed," said Bém. According to the mayor, experts and politicians are divided half and half on the opinion of whether to return a regular tram line to the square.
    The city hall wants to start the repair of Wenceslas Square next year, and the reconstruction could be completed in 2011. However, that will likely not be the end of major changes for Wenceslas Square. In the same year, the city plans to start building tunnels that will take the main road under the ground at the National Museum. The square would then be connected again with Vinohrady.
    According to Bém, the start of the work depends on the completion of the northwestern part of the city ring road, which is scheduled to be completed by mid-2011. If the main road is restricted earlier, Prague would face a traffic collapse. The majority of the construction costs should be covered by the state; according to the Ministry of Transport, the total costs could be around eight billion crowns.
    The main construction costs will be covered by the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure. The Ministry of Culture will finance the construction of a tunnel between the museum and the building of the former Federal Assembly. The main road in the tunnels will have only two lanes.
    According to Bém, Prague currently has 1.7 billion crowns prepared for the modifications of Wenceslas Square. This funding will cover the introduction of the tram line, the connection of Wenceslas Square with Vinohrady via Vinohradská Street, and some expenses related to the construction of the tunnels themselves. However, according to Bém, the total costs will be higher.