Sunday 1 March 2015

Ul. Mleczarska – some progress visible

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).

Next photo coverage expected around Easter.

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