Competition for the revitalization of the center of Planá nad Lužnicí

Planá nad Lužnicí (Táborsko) - Planá nad Lužnicí is preparing revitalization of the city center for approximately 25 million crowns. Among other things, it wants to adjust areas near a busy road, which was the main transit route between České Budějovice and Prague until the opening of another section of the D3 last year. Planá nad Lužnicí aims to have this first-class road, which crosses the city, converted into a second-class road. Jiří Šimánek, the mayor, told ČTK today.
    The city has announced an architectural competition for proposals to renovate the city center. According to Šimánek, a certain number of parking spaces should remain in the designated area, which may, however, become subject to fees. "It’s not that after the alterations in the center, there will be only greenery. We intend to preserve certain things there. And among them are parking spaces," said the mayor.
    The city estimates the costs for the center's renovations at approximately 25 million crowns. But this is a rough estimate. The actual investment amount will be more precise once it is known which architectural proposal will be successful. The price may also change with the bidding for the contractor of the project.
    According to Šimánek, work near the road could begin at the start of next year as well. "We would like it to no longer be a first-class road," Šimánek noted. In that case, the road would not belong to the Directorate of Roads and Highways (ŘSD), but would be taken over by the South Bohemian Region.
    Planá nad Lužnicí was one of the busiest transit towns on the route between the Austrian border and Prague. Until the end of last June, when traffic started on another section of the D3, 24,000 vehicles passed daily through the center of Planá. Locals believed that the number would significantly decrease with the opening of the highway. "But we still have 13,000 cars passing through here daily that are avoiding the toll highway," said Šimánek.