The Prague next year awaits investments in metro line D and elections

Prague - The capital city wants to invest the most money next year in the preparation of the construction of the new metro line D. It has allocated 1.72 billion crowns in the budget for this purpose. Among major investments, the completion of the new section of the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant (ÚČOV) will continue, which will receive more than a billion crowns. Prague is also expected to acquire a new headquarters for emergency services, begin renovations at the Exhibition Grounds, and continue preparations for a new zoning plan. Events in the metropolis this autumn will be influenced by municipal elections, in which voters will select new leadership for the city council and city districts.

The funds for the preparation of the metro construction will go towards land acquisitions and geological surveys. The city plans to first construct the section between Pankrác and Olbrachtova, where according to the city council leadership, there are the least issues with land acquisitions. Construction is expected to start in 2019, and the entire line, costing 50 billion crowns, could be completed in 2023. The transport company also intends to select a partner from the private sector to assist in the development of the areas around future stations and in acquiring problematic land.

Next year, the completion of a new water line of the ÚČOV, costing 5.8 billion, should be finished. This is the first phase of the modernization of the treatment plant, which is estimated to ultimately cost 12.65 billion. The completion of the construction next year will consume 1.13 billion. The administrative base for the emergency service is expected to begin moving to a new building in Palmovka in the first half of the year, with the city contributing 300 million crowns towards its completion.

Renovation of the Šlechtova restaurant in Stromovka will continue, with completion planned for early 2019. The city will also allocate hundreds of millions for the repair of tram tracks, for example, on Vinohradská Avenue. The reconstruction of the infrastructure at the Exhibition Grounds is expected to begin.

The city will need to resolve the situation concerning the Troja footbridge, which recently collapsed. The plan includes the installation of a temporary bridge to ensure pedestrian access from Stromovka to the zoo. In January, the council aims to approve a contract for the repair of the Libeň bridge.

By mid-year, a study on an alternative route for the last section of the City Ring Road between Pelc-Tyrolka and Balabenka should be completed. This development was pushed for by the Troika Coalition; ANO and ČSSD, on the other hand, advocate for the existing route, which leads mainly underground. The city is already preparing a contract for the project completion contractor; if the alternative routing eventually prevails, a new competition must be announced. If that does not happen, according to the schedule, exploratory work could already begin next year.

The Institute of Planning and Development will continue preparing a new zoning plan for Prague, which will be submitted for comments from city districts, landowners, and citizens in the spring. The process of discussing the draft plan will last two and a half years.

In the autumn of next year, people will decide on the leadership of the city council and all 57 city districts for the next four years. The Prague Sobě movement, whose main figure is MP and Mayor of Prague 7 Jan Čižinský from KDU-ČSL, wishes to get involved in the elections. He wants to run based on signatures from residents of the capital, of which he aims to collect 100,000.

Since the last elections in 2014, a coalition of ANO, ČSSD, and the Troika Coalition has been governing Prague. In October 2015, it collapsed, but the parties eventually agreed and restored their cooperation. Only the composition of part of the council changed. The last elections were won by the ANO movement with 22 percent. TOP 09 received 20 percent, the Troika Coalition of the Greens, KDU-ČSL, and STAN had 11.2 percent, ODS 11 percent, ČSSD 10.4 percent, and Pirates 5.3 percent.