The embankment in Karlovy Vary will be without bike lanes

Vltava River Embankment in Prague

Karlovy Vary - In Karlovy Vary, a complete reconstruction of Mattoni and Drahomířina embankments in the Drahovice district will begin before the end of the year. The contract, worth 45.3 million crowns, was awarded to a consortium of companies Eurovia and Strabag in a tender. However, the originally proposed bike lanes will not be created on the new roadway. The entire project would have to be redone for them, which would unnecessarily delay the start of construction. This was reported to ČTK by Deputy Mayor Jaroslav Růžička (Alternativa).
     The creation of a bike lane was advocated by the civic initiative We Want Bike Lanes in Vary. The proposed repair allegedly continues in a concept that favors automotive traffic over other road users. "In this way, Sokolovská Street was reconstructed, where instead of bike lanes, a parking space one meter wider and unnecessarily wide sidewalks were created. The embankment is significant for cycling traffic as it connects the city via the Drahovický Bridge with the Ohře bike path," said initiative representative Dominik Jandl.
     According to Růžička, the traffic situation on the embankment will be resolved by adjusting the sidewalk on one side of the roadway, which will change into a path for pedestrians and cyclists after the expansion. The deputy noted that it is probably not the ideal solution, but the only acceptable option in the current situation. Redoing the project would not only delay construction but also make it more expensive. "Both proposals, whether with a path or with bike lanes, have their pros and cons; there probably isn't an ideal solution. For various reasons, the project will be carried out in its original form," Růžička added.
     The modification of the roadway without bike lanes was labeled "hostile" to cyclists by initiative member and designer Ota Řezanka. He stated that in the attempt to direct cycling traffic, something has emerged that is, according to cyclists, worse even than the current state. "Cyclists will ride on the sidewalk in both directions, avoiding each other and pedestrians. Access for cyclists has not been resolved; they will chaotically cross the street, ride on pedestrian crossings, or completely ignore the marked sidewalk and ride on the roadway just like today," Řezanka added.