The renovations of the Otrokovice railway station should be completed by November

Otrokovice (Zlínsko) - The reconstruction of the Otrokovice railway station forecourt, which is gradually transforming into an urban transport terminal, is entering its second phase. Builders are currently completing work in the southern part of the transport area. This area is already being utilized by the city’s trolleybuses, and the upcoming changes will mainly affect the northern part, where around a hundred parking spaces will be created. The entire reconstruction of the area in front of the train station is likely to finish significantly ahead of schedule. The construction will cost around 68 million crowns, most of which will be funded by the European Union.
    According to Otrokovice's mayor Radoslava Matuszková, the construction work is currently about halfway done. They managed to complete the facilities for the public transport vehicles about a month earlier. "The contractor anticipates that the entire investment project should be completed in November," described Matuszková.
    The long-planned modifications to the area in front of the train station began in mid-March. The station is located on the railway corridor between Břeclav and Přerov, and about 10,000 people pass through its grounds daily, headed for Otrokovice and the neighboring regional city of Zlín. Here, train, bus, and public transportation will intersect.
    "We are currently fine-tuning the landscaping on the southern part. We are moving to the northern part, where we currently have all the networks completed and will be constructing roads and landscaping," explained Milan Kotrč from the company SMO, which is renovating the forecourt. He added that the entire reconstruction, initially planned to last until February next year, has accelerated thanks to good cooperation with Czech Railways and the public transport operator.
    The modifications to the forecourt posed the greatest challenges for the trolleybuses of the Zlín-Otrokovice Transport Company (DSZO) operating on the routes between Otrokovice and the regional city, as the construction is taking place under full operation. "The main problems that affected both our employees' work and passengers are now behind us," stated DSZO director Josef Kocháň.
    The total costs for the reconstruction of the forecourt will reach approximately 68 million crowns, with about 60 percent already invested. However, the Otrokovice city council will only pay part of this, having obtained a 52 million grant from European funds. "If this financing option were not available, even a city of our level would not be able to embark on such an investment," added the mayor of Otrokovice.