Demolition of a fifty-year-old footbridge over John Paul II Avenue and Rzeczypospolitej Avenue has begun in Zaspa, Gdansk. The structure, which was supposed to be a symbol of modernity, has for decades become an obstacle rather than an amenity. It will now be replaced by above-ground pedestrian crossings.
Demolition of a fifty-year-old footbridge over Jana Pawła II Avenue and Rzeczypospolitej Avenue, part of a road interchange whose construction began as early as the 1970s, has begun in Zaspa, Gdansk.
Built on a grand scale, the structure for years led pedestrians to streetcar stops, but did not fully fulfill its original role.
From a vision of modernity to a troublesome relic
It was originally intended that the footbridge would lead to a large shopping center, which was planned on the former runway after the Gdansk-Wrzeszcz airport. However, fate decided otherwise. The planners' vision was not realized, and the space around the footbridge began to age along with itself. Instead, pedestrians had to give way to cars speeding across the avenue - and climb steep stairs themselves or use the perpetually jammed elevators.
The footbridge in Zaspa is in a poor state today
photo: Grzegorz Mehring/Gdansk.pl
In 2022, city councilors dotted the i's by amending the local zoning plan. Where a shopping center was once planned, the commercial function was turned into a residential area with ground-floor services. The footbridge itself today is already in poor condition - this was confirmed by analyses by scientists from the Gdansk University of Technology.
The term "gigantic" is not at all an exaggeration. Here, traffic moves on as many as three levels.
If one were to connect its piers, all the stairs and connectors together, one would get a stretch of nearly half a kilometer. This is a giant, but the surface area is even more impressive - it is nearly half a hectare, almost 5,000 square meters, which is almost a football field. I haven't encountered in Poland a footbridge with such momentum
- said in an interview with the Gdansk.pl portal Krzysztof Wąchalski, founder of PONT-PROJEKT, the main designer of the demolition and construction of the new footbridges in Zaspa.
Five crossings instead of one footbridge
The decision to demolish the footbridge - piece by piece - was matured by the authorities for a long time. Pedestrian-friendly solutions had been called for by residents, activists and city councilors for several years. The preparations for the demolition themselves took years, while officials and designers considered several solutions.
Visualization of the new construction
mat. DRMG
The new footbridge will be accessible to everyone - pedestrians, cyclists, people with disabilities - and will connect the two parts of the district at street level, providing convenient access to bus stops and everyday errands
-announced Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, mayor of Gdansk.
In the end, the magistrate decided to replace the single, high and non-functional footbridge with five smaller crossings (in the form of five small footbridges) with traffic lights, integrated with streetcar stops and bike paths. Residents, however, must be patient: the work is expected to be completed in mid-2027, although the contractor is expected to tackle the demolition itself later this year. The cost of the work is PLN 25 million.
This is what the new structure is to look like after the demolition of the footbridge in Zaspa
matt. DRMG
As explained by Krzysztof Małkowski, director of the Directorate for Urban Redevelopment of Gdansk, the work has been divided into stages so as to preserve access to streetcar stops and minimize inconvenience for residents. Key demolition work over the tracks will be carried out at night, when streetcars are not running, allowing traffic to be maintained during the day. The project also includes reconstruction of the overhead catenary network and new paving of Rzeczypospolitej Avenue in the immediate vicinity of the crossings. The road overpass itself will also be refreshed.
The demolition will last until the end of the year
Photo: Ewa Karendys
