At midnight on Saturday, 2nd of February, representatives of Neinver, Strabag and the Municipal Streets and Bridges Authority opened the underground bus station and the Dworcowa tunnel. The delivered facilities covers a total usable area of almost 10 000 sq. meters.
The investment is part of the PLN 1 billion project being carried out at Szewczyka Sq. The construction work took 2 years. The value of the undertaking exceeds PLN 300 million – the bus hub and the tunnel, together with the new Railway Station’s hall opened in October last year, were financed by Neinver (PLN 280 million). The east and west road infrastructure cost PLN 25,2 million – the City Hall of Katowice was responsible for this part of the investment.
“This is undoubtedly both the functional and esthetic upturn in comparison to the former bus station. The area will be now more friendly and useful for passengers and citizens. The City Hall is going to work on continuous improvement of the surroundings by the refurbishment of 3 Maja, Pocztowa, Młyńska and Kościuszki streets” – said Piotr Uszok, Katowice mayor.
“Today we delivers only part of this huge undertaking, which Neinver carries out consistently stage by stage. Our company is to open Galeria Katowicka this year and then we all will be able to see how the complex works in full scope” – commented Agata Brzezińska, country manager of Neinver Poland.
The 36,5 meters wide bus station covers 6 450 sq. meters of usable area and is accessible from the Railway Station by staircases, moving stairways and lifts. The new bus hub is located at the -1 level, exactly under the hall. 586 buses will pass through the station during every working day leaving 10 bus stops approximately every 80 seconds. The transportation system underwent tests which were conducted using specialist software and real-life simulations. 10 stops for minibuses and a taxi space were also provided in the hub.
The new Dworcowa tunnel covering 3 234 sq. meters enables vehicles to get across on an east-west axis and connects the junction of Mikołowska, Matejki, Słowackiego and Sądowa streets with the crossroads of Pocztowa, św. Jana, and Dworcowa streets. It also leads to a two-level underground car park for 1 200 cars (to be opened together with Galeria Katowicka). The tunnel is 300 meters long (including entrance/exit ramps).
Strabag is the prime contractor of the project.
