Decided to make the most of yesterday’s first whiff of spring in March
(in late February temperature topped over +18C twice, more on this in the annual
Winter timeline, due in a fortnight), lugged my bike out of the basement, donned
a thin face mask, a helmet and rode to inspect the progress on nearby S7
expressway construction site. Cycling note – this year instead of having my bike
serviced at Decathlon, I did the brake adjustments, screwdriving, tyre change
and chain lubricating and other stuff on my own. It spared me some 100 zlotys,
saved not for a rainy day, but for time more conducive to living it up.
Having cycled through Las Kabacki,
crossed ul. Puławska and cut across
the cemetery in Pyry I find myself by
ul. Baletowa. Here the road has been
routed into a tunnel, wide enough to fit two lanes and pavements on both sides.
It is around 11:00 a.m., traffic quite sparse so far.
On the western side of the tunnel, looking north towards Warszawa Południe junction (lamp posts
in the distance are at the end of the finished, yet closed section of the
expressway). Except for the excavator and the truck, no machinery nor workers
on site. Feel kind of sorry for dwellers of nearby houses who have lived here
for decades and soon they will need to put up with the neighbourhood of a noisy
and fume-producing fast traffic.
Then I cycle south through Dawidy
Bankowe. A shot taken from a bus stop by ul. Starzyńskiego, looking east towards the railway tracks. The
sandy bottom layer of the expressway’s foundation is well visible. Watch out
for the spot which has blotted all zoomed pictures taken with my 2012 compact
Olympus camera since early 2018. I have got used to that mark, the bigger the
higher optical zoom I set.
Down in Zgorzała, standing by ul. Dawidowska, looking north. The viaduct
in the distance seems to be a part of the Zamienie
junction, currently having no link to the existing road infrastructure.
Standing nearly in the same spot, looking south. The pylons suggest ul. Dawidowska will run beneath the
expressway in a tunnel. For no apparent reason, this venue does not exhibit a
high progress of works.
Still in Zgorzała, looking
west towards housing estates in Zamienie
whose dwellers will also find the expressway audible (despite noise barriers,
humming can be heard within half a mile from a fast-traffic carriageway).
The viaduct marked on the map of the project as WD-4 is now in the
middle of a field, but it is bound to link ul.
Raszyńska in Zamienie with ul. Postępu in Zgorzała (i.e. the place from which the
snap was taken).
On to Nowa
Wola where ul. Krasickiego also has been put into a tunnel. If
you zoom in, you should see lighting installed inside it. Inside the tunnel
actually everything seems to be nearly ready, while outside there is no point in
doing any finishing works, as construction machines would spoil the effects of
tidying up.
I was quite astonished to behold two flyovers built over ul. Postępu in Nowa Wola. As it turns out, they
are a part of a bigger junction connecting the designed DW721 and S7. The
viaduct will carry slip roads – the north will take westbound traffic from Piaseczno to Warsaw, the south one will
take all northbound traffic from S7 towards both Piaseczno and Lesznowola.
The last shot comes from ul. Słoneczna
in Kolonia Lesznowola, where the
current DW721 runs into the tunnel. All 3 tunnels I photographed are quite
similar. Less than a mile south from here the section A has its end. Further
works are not carried out after the National Road Authority has terminated
agreement with the general contractor of section B. If the section A is completed
within the deadline, first drivers should be able to get from Warszawa Południe junction to Lesznowola, and no further, in November
2022.
Cycled home through Piaseczno. Traffic was quite dense given several
types of shops are shut down since today. Then through Las Kabacki again. As I approach home, I run across a scene
customary on ul. Moczydłowska on
Saturdays and Sundays – a Straż Miejska
patrol putting wheel blockers to drivers who illegally parked their cars in a
residential zone. I am all into this. Feel like strolling into the forest – take
a longer walk and leave your car (if public transport or bike are not an option)
where it is permitted, instead of almost driving into the very woodland!
Eight
months after the recent major photo round-up and nearly three months after posting
most recent snaps, time to spend most of a short, a yet bright day to catch up
with progress of works on POW construction site west of Vistula.
The weather looked out perfect as seen from a warm interior. In fact,
temperature today creeped barely above zero, while outside, unless you took
shelter from the chilly wind, it felt like almost -10C. Fortunately, I have not
decided to put up for sale my thermal long johns and vest, purchased before the
trip beyond the polar circle and today they proved useful, albeit I felt kind of
overheated when marching briskly through areas shielded from wind and lit by sunrays.
The morning part of the trip commenced around 10 a.m., after I returned
from the swimming pool. Having donned the thermal underwear (and regular outerwear)
I jumped into 504 bus, rode 3 stops, alit it and rambled towards the southern
end of ul. Indiry Gandhi. At the corner of ul. Pileckiego and ul. Indiry Gandhi
I passed what 2 weeks ago had most probably been a Christmas-tree stall. Today
the sellers were long gone, unsold trees remained. I wondered whether they had
been chopped down legally. Felt sorry for the trees, unlike plastic substitutes,
they would not decompose after 400 years, yet each year too few Xmas trees are
sold in pots and then replanted.
Having mused about trees, I reached the spot were a new intersection of
ul. Indiry Gandhi and ul. Płaskowieckiej should be built. The construction
crews so far were focusing on re-laying underground installations. Without the
intersection, junction Ursynów Zachód will be rendered useless.
I crossed ul. Płaskowickiej and scrambled up an
earth mound in the shrubs. The viaduct in the distance on the afore-mentioned
junction will carry eastbound traffic onto Ursynów and should bring relief to ever-clogged
ul. Puławska. I had decided not to drive several kilometres to capture the
sight of S2 roads slipping into the tunnels from the current end of the road.
Not worth burning so much fuel for one photo.
Ul. Płaskowickiej will need to be broadened ahead of the link with the
expressway; works on it have commenced, for no apparent reason bringing the westbound
lanes close to windows of blocks built here in 2006-2007 when plans of the POW
had been publicly available. No need to feel regret for dwellers.
I turned around and snapped the pavement and the cycling path along ul.
Płaskowickiej behind the construction site fence. These are first elements of
the pre-construction landscape restored. Although the very road is to be opened
in late 2021, system of roads in Ursynów is to be back in pre-construction
shape in August 2020.
The photo to the right has been taken from a pavement by ul. Pileckiego,
south of ul. Płaskowickiej. One can spot the southern lanes of ul. Płaskowickiej
(turned into a single carriageway 2 years ago) and original ul. Pileckiego
rebuilt. The land above the POW tunnel is to be developed into a park, with
lots of greenery and amenities to locals.
East of ul. Stryjeńskich there was little to boast about, at least above
the ground. Nevertheless, I could not resist to snap the construction site
fence next to intersection of ul. Płaskowickiej and al. KEN. It instantly brought
to mind… the Berlin wall. Ursynów indeed has been divided by that construction
for a while and once it is finished I will need to get accustomed to Ursynów not
blotted by metal fences, mud and building machinery.
Ursynów Wschód junction, as observed from the top of the Warsaw
escarpment is not an easy object to be photographed. Still I couldn’t make out where
the roads carrying the traffic east from Ursynów would run. Progress since
mid-October also hard to be estimated. The last morning snap, time to walk off
to a bus stop by ul. Rosoła, hop on 179 bus which zigzags through Ursynów and return
home.
After a lunch and a moment of rest, time to inspect developments in Wilanów.
Przyczółkowa junction seems quite advanced. Yellow footbridge still lacks balustrades.
Red viaducts in the distance carry two three-land roads over ul. Przyczółkowa. Konstancin-bound
traffic already on target lanes, drivers heading north still need to slow down
on temporary detour.
A quirky shot, taken as I was standing on cycling path running parallel
to ul. Przyczółkowa, looking west at the slip road towards Ursynów, Łódź, Poznań,
Berlin, Lisbon… Tarmac has not been laid, progress of works on the viaducts unknown…
Then on to ul. Wał Zawadowski. Had cycled here several
times, today I first ventured there by car and felt like an intruder (despite having
not violated any rules). The bridge is also not an easy object for the camera…
The pictures do not show progress on northern bridge is lower than on
the southern one, whose construction had commenced earlier. Some time ago the delay
on that section was said to be the longest. Today I can bet the entire Southern
Bypass of Warsaw is opened in 4Q2021 and I am quite optimistic due to forecasts
of mild winter continuing in January and February 2020.
Later I drove to see the viaduct on ul. Syta. One of drawbacks of taking
such trips by car is a difficulty in finding a place to park the vehicle. The
photo was taken through an opened window, while I stopped and turned the
emergency light on. In the distance, the bridge(s) over Vistula.
The last pic, taken in the same location, half an hour before the sunset
Looking west towards Ursynów, future roads clearly visible. The very viaduct
seems nearly completed. I wonder whether it shares the fate of its peer on ul. Poloneza which infuriated local residents for months between actual completion
and opening for traffic.
The progress is anyway best illustrated on films shot by drones, which
can be found in the relevant thread of Skyscrapercity forum.
If there is a city in Poland for which I could leave Warsaw behind…
If there is a city in Poland whose beauty enchants me every time I visit
it…
If there is a city in Poland whose energy recharges my batteries
instantly…
Only Wrocław meets all criteria above. Unfortunately, moving to Wrocław
would involve professional demotion (it terms of duties and pay) and the vision
of my career ceasing to thrive so far has prevented me from considering
relocation to Wrocław.
From 1 July 2016 Warsaw and Wrocław are eventually linked by network of
motorways and expressways. The missing section of A1 motorway, from Stryków
junction with A2 motorway down to Tuszyn, where it meets short section of A1
built in 1980s, serves as eastern bypass of Łódź and connects with S8 expressway running straight into Wrocław. Thus once you get onto S2 or S8 in
outskirts of Warsaw, via A2, A1, S8 and A8 you may cover the distance of around
350 kilometres between the capital of the country and the capital of Lower Silesia without even having to downshift from the highest gear. If you stick to
speed limits, the door-to-journey should last no more than three and a half
hours (compared to at least five hours five years ago), beating Pendolino
trains, which, if booked early cost less (unless your car carrier at least
three people) and cover the route within three hours and forty three minutes
(please add to this journeys to train stations in both cities).
When choosing how to get to bigger cities in Poland, Kraków is the only
one where it is definitely more comfortable to go by train. For Katowice,
Poznan and Gdansk I would be indifferent between car and train – both rail and
road connections are decent and while station-to-station train travel durations
are unbeatable, in terms of door-to-door journey times, vehicles make up… Łódź
and Wrocław are the destination preferably reached by car…
I was lucky to stay there overnight and despite tight agenda (end of
workshops on the first day at 5:45 p.m. and kick-off at 8:15 a.m. on the next
day) my companions and I managed to reach the market square, take a short walk
around this part of city in the rain, then checked in to one of numerous
eateries to lounge about there until late evening. Only the weather was playing
tricks with us. Sunny all day, with one intense shower, then two intense
rainfalls caught us at the beginning of our trip to town and as we were waiting
for taxis to return to hotels…
Wrocław beckons and a friend has advised me how to get there cheaply and
quickly. As it turns out, Ryanair offers cheap return flights from W-wa Modlin
to Wrocław for mere PLN 18.00. For accommodation, I strongly recommend two Ibis
Budget hotels – Wrocław Stadion and Wrocław Południe (the latter can boast
about better transport link to the city centre) where an overnight stay without
breakfast booked in advanced can set you back a dirt-cheap PLN 39.00 (also for
a double room).
Over the week ahead for the first time since late May I am not going to
spend any night away from home, nor even venture away from Warsaw for the whole
day. A strange feeling. The weather in the coming two weeks is rather going to
resemble what we saw in July 2011. If showers and spells of sunshine are about
to alter, relief from the heat will be conducive to drawing pleasure outdoor
activities) and shortages of underground waters stand a chance to be
replenished. Yesterday I cycled for the first time since nearly a month, today
I’m bound to take another ride.
Heard the purport of the controversial speech of president Duda in
Otwock has been manipulated by the media hostile to PiS. I advise you listen
the speech and shape an opinion on it on yourselves. Has Mr president gone too
far in diagnosing the ailments plaguing Poland and in insulting his opponents?
Is Mr Duda president of all Poles or of one particular party? Up to you to
decide…
In February
Mrs Szydło’s government celebrated first 100 days of work. Out of five
priorities on the government’s agenda only one has been carried through.
1. The 500
plus child allowance programme has been launched and first payouts to parents
will be made in April. Undeniable credit to the government for delivering the
flagship project, however a truly impressive attainment will be making ends
meet in budgets for 2017 and onwards without containing the scale of the
program .
2.
Decreasing retirement age to 60 for women and 65 for men remains in the realm
of promises. Mr Duda promised to submit a relevant draft law and kept his
promise, nothing beyond it.
3. In
progress is the law setting up free-of-charge medicines for elderly people aged
75 or more. Needless to say the list of medicines will not be endless and only
some medications will qualify for 100% reimbursement. According to some
estimates, an average pensioner will save no more than 20 zlotys monthly thanks
to generosity of PiS government. Wonder whether administrative expenses will be
higher or lower than gains of all entitled old-aged citizens.
4. CIT rate
cut to 15% for micro enterprises looms far on the horizon. A few PiS
politicians brought up the topic, but right now the government is preoccupied
with putting out other fires.
5. Raising
tax allowance to PLN 8,000 per year also stands no chance of being accomplished
in 2016 and feasibility of such move in 2017, given foreseen shortfall of
budget revenues, is up in the air.
The
festival of traducing Mr Wałęsa was rather short-lasting, but I am sure this
has not been the last word. The game is up…
The former CEO of Bank Zachodni WBK has unveiled the Responsible Development Plan, a
roadmap for Poland to catch up with the Western Europe and a set of measures to
move Poland forward. It is beyond all doubt Poland badly needs a long-term
development strategy, yet the strategy must be viable from cover to cover, i.e.
it should identify what problems need to be overcome and with what means.
The
diagnosis Mr Morawiecki sets is spot-on, but hang on… How do the notions
underlying the plan square with PiS’ economic agenda? It is claimed public debt
is a drag on Poland’s development, but PiS’ spending spree will sooner or later
have to contribute to rising public debt. Demographics is bound to decrease
labour force in Poland and to counteract it PiS deputies put forward decreasing
retirement age and have raised schooling age from 6 to 7.
Besides,
being familiar with specifics of some sectors (e.g. shipyards, automotive,
transport, capital goods), I fear goals in the programme might be to beautiful
to be realistic. Harnessing banking and corporate sectors’ over-liquidity to
boost investment smacks of central planning. All in all, the plan makes a good
impression, but I do not believe the government “knows better” than thousands
of enterprises. Lending a helping hand and setting strategic objectives for the
development should remain the core areas of government’s involvement in the
economy. Let’s not go beyond them and let the free market do its job.
The cursed soldiers, for years forgotten, in the days surrounding 1 March were glorified
more avidly than veterans of the Home Army (not to mentioned those out of luck
to join the Home Army). I have not against commemorating victims of Stalinism,
tortured and murdered between 1945 and 1956, they do deserve our remembrance,
but the cursed soldiers are not a uniform group and historians (other than
IPN-affiliated) vary in their assessments of cursed soldiers’ deeds after the
Home Army was dissolved in January 1945. In 1945, as Poland became subjugated
to the Soviet Union, warfare was officially over. Some people came to terms
with the fact Poland could be at best a satellite country of the Soviet Union
and under those circumstances began to rebuild the country from ruins, combat
illiteracy, electrifying countryside, while others did not lay down guns. The
problem I have with them is that they did not fight the Soviets, but they
killed their compatriots, not only the ardent functionaries of the new systems
in MO, UB, PPR uniforms, but also representatives of the ethnical minorities,
Jews and civilians who did not resist the new order or benefited from it, e.g.
peasants granted land as part of the agrarian reform.
Romuald Rajs
“Bury” and Józef Kuraś “Ogień” are two most glaring examples of bandits
venerated today. I would strongly prefer the whole truth is told about those
people. Locals in Podhale or near Białowieża, especially ancestors of civilians
killed by brigades of “the stalwart” put up the biggest resistance when IPN-
and PiS affiliated , yet their voices are rarely audible.
Besides,
come to think of it with cool head. Imagine someone hiding in a forest. What
would they live off? How would the procure nutrition? How would they survive
harsh winters in the second half of 1940s? Locals tired of six years of
privations of war did not need to embrace the idea of helping out the forestmen
by offering them board and lodging…
A tyre
popped. Had it happened in an ordinary Pole’s passenger car, it would have
passed unnoticed. But the tyre popped in a BMW carrying president Duda;
consequently the vehicle went into a skid and landed in a roadside ditch.
Fortunately, the head of state came of the accident safe and sound and after the
voices of conspiracy theorists (assassination could not be ruled out) and
vulgar haters faded, it transpired the tyre had been produced in 2010 and
should have long been out of use. Jaw drops open. Within four months PiS have
managed to replace most officials in ministries and state-controlled companies
and launched several opening audits to reveal irregularities and havoc wreaked
by their incompetent predecessors, but they have failed to inspect fleet of
vehicles carrying the statesmen.
Why did
this happen? The technical conditional of the vehicle is one side of the coin,
the driving style of BOR being the other. Many doubt the column of vehicles,
including with Mr Duda on board, was moving within the speed limit of 140 kmph,
witnesses speak of the speed of 170 kmph or even 200 kmph. BOR vehicles according
to the Polish law enjoy the status of privileged vehicles, just like
ambulances, fire engines and police cars. This means they do not need to follow
traffic regulations. Let’s have a glance at how the column of vehicles moved at
National Road DK5 before turning into A4 motorway where the accident took
place.
I know the
road well, its surface if flat, has not ruts, but the road is narrow, winding,
hilly and on many sections visibility is poor. Does such way of moving around
contribute to safety of Mr Duda (or whoever is a passengers) and other innocent
road participants?
Last Sunday
a supplementary election to the upper house was held in Łomża – Suwałki
constituency. Anna Maria Anders, backed by PiS won the seat in the parliament,
but if you bear in mind three facts:
1. Mrs
Anders’ score (47%) was mere 6 percentage points ahead of PSL-affiliated, PO-
and Nowoczesna-backed Mr Baginski’s result,
2. the
turnout in the election was 17%, meaning only 8% of citizens entitled to vote
cast their votes for Mrs Anders,
3. Mrs
Anders had been endorsed by all prominent PiS politicians involved in her
campaign, while PO, PSL and Nowoczesna had not lifted a little finger to
support their candidate (shame on you, Mr Schetyna, Mr Petru and Mr
Kosiniak-Kamysz),
the victory
is anything but swingeing and should rather be interpreted as a warning sign
than as declaration of strong support.
The VeniceCommission has issued a report on recent changes in law pertaining to the Constitutional
Tribunal. The final document is somewhat toned down in comparison to the draft
which had leaked to the media in February. The Commission blames both the
previous and the current governments for paralysing the Tribunal and urges the
Polish government to rectify the wrongdoing. Commentators keep on talking about
the political compromise to be worked out to reverse the unfortunate
legislation. This twaddle fills me with dread. There is no room for
give-and-take, politicians from all parties present in the parliament have to
make a concerted effort to bring the laws in line with constitution. The PiS
government is slowly realising it cannot mess with everyone around. Hope the
opposition realise this time for the benefit of Poland they will need to collaborate
with the government, not to reach any compromise, but to restore the legal
framework spoilt in two stages by PO-PSL, PiS and president Duda.
Over three months
since my recent posting on modernisation of ul. Mleczarska little was
going on in the site. Despite mild winter pace of works was sluggish
until mid-February, when temperature crept above zero for good and
works grew apace. The completion deadline of 30 June 2015 seems
achievable.
Much has been done
on the southern end of the development, between intersection with ul.
Syrenki and intersection with ul. Sękocińska (on Piaseczno side)
and ul. Słoneczna (in Stara Iwiczna) – curbs have been laid on
both sides and new pavement put up. The very road is formally open
for drivers and apart ripping the old tarmac, no steps have been
taken towards building a brand new road.
I have no idea what
the ditch on the western side on the road has been dug for. The
posts for more than sure carry telephone wires, the out-of-ark
infrastructure of Telekompromitacja Polska. In the background – a
recently modernised natural gas pumping station. Gmina Lesznowola
keep moving ahead!
A Marian shrine
(whose presence in this place could be traced back to pre-WW2
decades) at the corner of ul. Mleczarska and ul. Sękocińska has
been covered with protective foil and moved a few metres further
west. If works are carried on swiftly, in May local grannies might
gather here to pray.
The ditch extends
further north. If I were to bet what its purpose is, my two guesses
would be either sewerage, or, more probably, putting underground
electricity wires. Given how overhead electricity wires are prone to
freaks of weather, possibly many low-voltage line should run beneath
the ground to ensure continuity of supplies during storms or heavy
snowfalls. Note amount of rubbished scattered around... Shame!
The pavement on the
eastern side of the street is an absolute novelty on the section
north of ul. Sękocińska and its appearance probably is going to be
the biggest upside of the modernisation. Pedestrians will finally be
able to walk there safely, without having to dodge sideways when a
vehicle comes near. To the left – a fine example of Polish squalor.
What makes people keep so much gratuitous “wealth” on their
properties?
In the foreground –
railway crossing, where tracks running to Siekierki power plant cut
across ul. Mleczarska. The crossing is to be refit somehow as well.
In the background – two mammoth (and some littler) mounds of earth
amassed to raise terrain under the newly built street, especially in
the vicinity of the crossing where ascent is to be less steep.
Further up the road
little has moved on since my visit in late November. Again I wonder
what makes people in cars worth several thousand zlotys take such
bumpy paths and risk damage of suspensions of their cars. Is saving a
few minutes, a few zlotys and a few kilometres really worth it?
A closer look at
earth mounds reveals the one in the distance has been already
depleted. Lots of soil however still awaits being used up. I'd be
curious to find out who the land west of ul. Mleczarska belongs.
Given its superior location, millions of zlotys lie here, so why no
one bother to bow down and pick it up by selling these plots. Zoning
plans for this area have been enacted and the only drawback is the
vicinity of railway tracks, however this should be bearable, given
how infrequently coal trains run here.
Apart from ripping
the asphalt and stocking up mounds of earth or sand, little has been
done on the intersection of ul. Mleczarska and ul. Energetyczna where
a sizeable roundabout is to be built. I appreciate some
infrastructure solutions in gmina Lesznowola are well ahead of their
times, even if at first glance they seem absurd.
The north-most
section between ul. Energetyczna and ul. Raszyńska exhibits the
lowest progress of works. Some pipes have been left on a field west
of the street, tarmac has been ripped halfway and reaching terraced
houses to the right is still possible without having to flounder in
mud (but from the other end).
Woke up
last Sunday, turned on the TV and beheld the film below on TVN24 morning
broadcast.
Shot three
days earlier on the streets of Warsaw and subsequently passed around online,
the film showing thoughtless and direly dangerous feats of a young driver has
become one of most often watched Polish films in the Internet last week. Media
coverage has given the 24-year-old driver of BMW M3 who had showed off his
driving skills a lot of publicity, probably something the guy craved for.
During his
rally the idiot driver broke traffic rules several times and caused several
seriously dangerous situations, putting lives of many innocent road users at
peril. Oddly enough, his driving skills proved good enough to avoid accidents
many times, however given his style of driving, the fact no one was killed by
him could be only put down to luck, rather than to his mastery behind the
wheel. I actually cannot deny him skills, as they were essential in not
injuring anyone during his lunatic rally, which by no means can be construed as
commendation for his misdemeanour.
The road
hog is now the most wanted man in the country, however police fails to detain
him. The reasons are two: there is no evidence the suspect Robert N., nickname
Frog, sat indeed behind the wheel when the crazy rally was shot, moreover the
film does not provide grounds there was any situation that could have led to a
traffic disaster, hence for over a week the driver has been unpunished and the
police could only kindly ask him to report to the nearest police station. He
refused to do so, instead he sent in his barrister, who made a statement any
attempt to induce her client to come to the police voluntarily is a provocation
meant to catch him.
How let’s
wonder who the hell this guy is. He is just 24 and already can afford to drive
around in expensive sports cars and to hire a lawyer. He does have a job, but
people aged 24 usually do not earn that much money and even if they happen to
do so, and are not celebrities, they toil away so hard that they lack time to
indulge in such dicey sort of entertainment. The boy most probably is a rowdy,
spoilt son of a rich daddy. Daddy buys him cars, pays for all his whims and, if
necessary, will get him out of troubles. And the boy feels he can go unpunished
and derides at the weakness of the Polish legal system, helpless faced with an
overt criminal…
Given the
records which leaked yesterday and will be in detail described in tomorrow’s
edition of one of the reputable weeklies, the helplessness of the Polish state
should not surprise us. If the minister of internal affairs claims the Polish
state exists only theoretically, jaw drops open immediately. It fails to
impress me a representative of the messed up ruling party tries to strike a
political deal, but when does the governor of the central bank, theoretically
independent entity, eagerly engages in a conservation about essentially
breaking the law, I get a little confused. According to article 220, paragraph
2 of the Polish constitution, the central bank is prohibited from financing the
budget deficit. The rule that central banks do not engage in fiscal policies
nor regulate cost of borrowing for governments is the thing of the past in the
most advanced economies – may policies of ECB or Bank of England serve as
examples.
The
wiretapped conversation casts new light on recent announcements of plausible
interest rate cuts in Poland. Lower central bank rates translate into lower
cost of debt for the government. However, central banks should target price level,
exchange rate and economic growth, not liase with the government. I was kind of
shocked professor Belka, current governor of the National Bank of Poland would
stoop so low. The proposal to further cut interest rates, bearing in mind the
recovery will sooner or later give rise to higher inflation, is at best unwise.
I am
looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds. Unfortunately, I will be
offline holidaying abroad and keeping track of topical issues will be
impossible. Nevertheless, I doubt the eavesdropped dealings in a restaurant
would turn the Polish politics upside down. I doubt Mr Belka loses his stool,
dismissal of Mr Sienkiewicz, minister of internal affairs, seems conceivable.
Then the dust will settle and everyone will live happily ever after, until the
next election. Until the next time when there is no one who would deserve your
vote.
… which I
must frankly pledge has gone partly outdated, given the rapid pace of finishing
works. Last Sunday I ventured to “inspect” the construction site by bike,
making most of the clement weather (above +20C, cloudless skies), while I felt
under the skin this could be the last such weekend. For no apparent reason
since early August I had an inexplicable inkling that hot summer would swiftly
give way to gloomy and chilly autumn. Looking at the weather forecasts for the
next week, my predictions seem to prove right. Albeit today, the weather’s not
ghastly – it’s gloomy and imminent autumn is felt in the air, but it’s pretty
warm – above +15C. Back to the core – last week the topic of pension reform
outshined the recent progress of Warsaw bypass construction and posting
coverage was scheduled for this week. But keeping in mind how quickly the
landscape of S2 construction evolves, I had to retake the trip today, this time
by bus, to take a few more snaps for the update.
According
to recent rumours from Skyscrapercity forum, the last section of S2, linking
junction W-wa Południe and junction Puławska is bound to be opened on Monday,
16 September. Given the accompanying bureaucracy-related formalities which are
unlikely to be handled within one day, I predict the opening will ensue later
this coming week.
My
workmates and parents have rebuked me over the enthusiasm over the opening. I’m
delighted to see the piece of work completed at last, despite all the bad
publicity surrounding it. The works on bypass construction kicked off in 2009,
a year earlier than building A2 motorway between Łódź and Warsaw started and
the latter was opened in June last year, while the former is still unfinished.
The whole venture was divided into two sub-projects: section Konotopa – W-wa
Południe (formerly Lotnisko) with Bilfinger Berger as lead contractor and
section called Elka (for the sake of its L-letter shape) from Marynarska junction to Puławska junction, with Porr
(formerly Teerag-Asdag) as lead contractor. The former was scheduled to be
opened in August 2012, the latter in April 2012… This was the theory – the last
moment when those deadlines seemed realistic was spring 2011, then hopes for seeing the road finished in 2012 were dashed. In practice: section between
Marynarska and W-wa Okęcie junctions was opened on 14 June 2013, section
between Konotopa and al. Krakowska was opened on 31 July 2013, section between
al. Krakowska and Okęcie junctions was opened on 6 September 2013 and the last
2-kilometre-long stretch, awaits opening.
The biggest
puzzle about the whole stuff is the eneven pace of works – for many months it
was appallingly slothful, several obstacles prevented the contractor from
starting out works in many places, sluggishness of construction crew was
inexcusable. And around spring 2013, when advancements of works was reaching
80%, a sudden spurt of mobilisation ensued. The same happened on A2 motorway
construction site in spring 2012, but it could be put down to Euro 2012
deadline. This time construction was far behind schedule, so what spurred the
devil-may-care builders on accelerating? Was this the Gdaka to have had an hand
in it, by using the well-checked stick and carrot approach?
The
long-behind-schedule completion is not the only blemish of the venture. The bigger
ones are the absurdities accompanying it – expressways lead to: fence of an
office building at the northern end of S79, cabbage field on the southern end
of it. I can’t understand the decision to desist from building the tunnel
carrying the traffic from ul. Puławska beneath the unfinished roundabout on
Puławska junction, but somehow approve of laughable turnaround traffic
arrangement at the eastern end of S2. Actually the fact all junctions have been
built to fit future needs is positive, what wipes the smile off my face is that
the roads will probably not be extended for years. S7 from W-wa Południe to
Grójec might be, if everything goes smoothly, completed by 2020, some time
later I expect the rest of the S2 bypass to be extended eastwards, N-S route
might be never extended… May the huge junctions with roads ending in the middle
of the fields not become the monument of the one-off large spurt of
infrastructure spending in Poland… I seriously fear lack of adequate funds
might almost bring to a halt infrastructure projects which are vital for moving
Poland ahead.
Coming to
the photo coverage… To the right – the eastern end of the motorway /
expresswaylinking Warsaw and Lisbon,
last week, the day after the top layer of asphalt (SMA) has been laid, it was
still sticky.
To the
right – same turnaround in the distance, captured today. Over the past week
lanes have been marked out and signage has been put up. The turnaround is a
really rare peculiarity, but given all circumstances, there’s a method in this
madness…
Last
Sunday, I cycle down the viaducts over ul. Puławska. Machines and workers were
getting ready for laying the SMA on the unopened section of the expressway.
Some one
mile towards the west, I approached the basin (wanna) to behold the whole W-wa
Południe was utterly finished, with the top layer of tarmac laid and lanes
painted. Just cut the ribbon and let elated drivers enjoy the trip!
Then I
cycled further in the direction of Al. Krakowska to finally saw the bypass
“under the traffic” (pod ruchem) – it was the third day vehicles were forced to
turn onto slip road towards Marynarska junction.
Today,
despite Sunday, clearance works on Puławska junction and around it were in
overdrive. Machines and workers are hurrying to complete the contract.
Lane-marking lines have been painted. Traffic lights are operational, but
turned off, the site needs tidying up…
Judging by
the signage, Sandomierz must be one of more important places on the map of
Poland. Or maybe the signage is putting the place on the map? Traffic signage
on all junctions of the bypass, hailed abysmal, has been subject of harsh
criticism…
And for the
very end, two photos from the viaduct carrying ul. Poloneza over the bypass.
The first to the west, towards Radom railway tracks and W-wa Południe junction.
Crews in the distance are clearing up the road – preparations for the opening
under way.
Roads
running towards ul. Puławska also look completed. The very viaduct is another
example of several absurdities packed into one development…
The promise
kept. The weather this morning was anything, but not conducive to cycling.
Clear blue skies, warm, but not hot (slightly below +20C), northerly breeze
taking the gloss off heat. Perfect conditions to get on the bike and check the
progress on local section of the Southern Bypass of Warsaw, according to
original plans, scheduled to be opened in April 2012.
I cycle
safely up the cycle path along ul. Puławska, then use the pavements rather than
road. When behind the wheel I’m so fed up with irresponsible cyclists (the
worst incidences of thoughtlessness among drivers and cyclist can be observed
on narrowed section of ul. Puławska where junction with the Bypass is being
built) that I never share the street with cars on busy roads. It’s safer for
everyone – I have to mind the pedestrians or cycle slowly on bumpy roadside,
but don’t need to worry that a carefree speeding meathead runs me down.
I turn left
to ul. Ludwinowska and a few minutes later I reach the intersection with ul.
Poloneza. The dirt track running to the newly built splendid viaduct over the
bypass has been hardened some time ago. Once I even dared to drive there in an
attempt to pass by Friday afternoon traffic jam on ul. Puławska. I drove mere
15 kpmh and was overtaken by three hell-bent drivers, probably all in company
cars. Hasty bastards whipped up huge billows of dust which until now lingers on
my car’s bodywork…
Reluctant
to pedal hard, I scramble up the viaduct and look towards ul. Puławska. A
layman’s eye tells me finishing works are left to be done on this section and
long-awaited opening may come to a pass. I finally see the light at the end of
this tunnel. Opening in 4Q2013 is doable, provided the recent pace of work is
kept up…
Then I ride
west to cycle up the other viaduct that takes ul. Hołubcowa over the
expressway. To the right – this time looking west, towards junction Lotnisko. Compared
to what I saw here in early March, the road builders have caught up
impressively. The recent progress is commendable, but won’t outshine slackness
of the contractor over the first 3 years of construction.
I roam
around the vicinity of the junction, walk down the technical stairway and snap
this. These are the two main roads of the bypass, each designed to be divided
into three lanes, running beneath Radom line tracks. Unlike many other
cyclists, I didn’t take a ride through the road. The works were not running at
full steam, yet some vehicles were moving there and some workers were busy
tidying up the expressway. Unlike most Poles I have much respect for health and
safety and avoid entering areas I should keep away from. It’s not about being
reproved by a security guard, but about my own safety. A driver of huge truck
should focus on his work rather than on watching out for reckless trip-makers…
Then I head
home down ul. Hołubcowa. Using the word ‘ulica’ to describe the bumpy dirt
track is at best a misnomer. The track, passable for SUVs and cyclists, allows
me to get to ul. Baletowa and what I spot behind the level crossing…? A police
car. The policemen were lurking behind shrubs to catch drivers ignoring the
‘STOP’ signage before the crossing. I must admit whenever visibility permits I
also do not bring the car to a halt. Who knows how high the fine for such
misdemeanour is?
To the
right – water retention ponds by ul. Kórnicka. Lifts the spirit whenever I can
see something that looks decently. Hope the new ponds will do their job
properly and protect nearby area from flooding after copious rainfalls…
Twanged back (again)
-
One of the purposes of this blog is as an* aide-memoire* to myself as I
physically grow older. Health setbacks are worth recording as they can
serve as l...
