Councillor: The construction of a section of the radial road in Prague 9 will be necessary in the future

PRAGUE - The construction of a section of the Vysočanská radial between Balabenka and Kbelská Street in Prague 9 will be necessary in the future, according to city councilor for transport Radovan Šteiner (ODS). The local council recently opposed the plans, claiming that the road would bring more cars into the center. However, Šteiner argues that with the planned development of the area, including the sites of the former ČKD, the radial will need to be built.
A new district with thousands of apartments, offices, and shopping centers will essentially emerge between Balabenka and Kbelská. Prague 9 states that Sokolovská and Českomoravská Streets will be sufficient for transportation in the area. Šteiner disagrees. "It is not possible to say that apartments will be built and the reconstructed Českomoravská Street will handle it. It will not," said the councilor to ČTK. He added that the capacity of the current streets is sufficient for now.
The radial is meant to connect the future inner and outer bypass of the city. This year, construction began from Kbelská to the outer ring. In addition to the local council, local residents have opposed the continuation of the radial to Balabenka in a petition. They state that it would devalue the green areas and surrounding residential development. "It is a misunderstanding from all sides," Šteiner noted.
Initially, according to him, it was indeed planned for the road to run over the surface through Vysočany. Now it is different. "It will probably go through a tunnel, so as not to disturb anyone," Šteiner stated. He emphasized that this part will most certainly not begin construction in the next ten to 15 years.
The city is currently processing a study that will determine the capacity of the road. It is possible that the route of the radial will be different from what is currently drawn in the non-binding part of the zoning plan. However, Prague 9 is asking for this section to be completely removed from the plan.
The section of the radial currently being built from Kbelská Street to the outer ring will mainly relieve Hloubětín and Černý Most. According to Šteiner, traffic will decrease in the overloaded Chlumecká Street due to it. This section of the road, costing around 1.5 billion crowns, is expected to be completed in 2007. Since it does not run through built-up areas, no one is protesting against the construction.