Sustainable mobility in Lublin: Building a greener city

When thinking about getting around the city, we consider the needs of all users. For years, we have been developing and modernizing the city’s road network, renovating and building new sidewalks, expanding the network of bike paths, and the biggest transportation project we’ve undertaken concerns buses. A milestone was the opening of Lublin Station, which ties together all transportation projects. We want to see a real change in how we move around the city in the next few years, so that we choose buses, bicycles, and other eco-friendly means even more willingly, and drive our cars less frequently. It’s not just about reducing traffic jams, but also a real benefit for the environment, says Krzysztof Żuk, Mayor of Lublin.

In next year’s budget, the City will generate funds to increase the frequency of urban bus and trolleybus services. The main lines module will operate at a frequency of 15 minutes during peak hours. Eventually, there are plans to increase the frequency of some lines to 10 minutes.

100 eco-friendly buses and express lines In March, a tender will be announced for the purchase of 20 hydrogen buses measuring 12 meters. Last year, the MPK Lublin company submitted an application to the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management for funding for hydrogen-powered vehicles. The funding amount is 100%, and the value of the project is 80 million PLN. The application has already passed a positive formal assessment. There are also plans for this year to announce a tender for the purchase of 50 hybrid buses, which would replace diesel urban transportation vehicles. Additionally, the City plans to purchase 30 zero-emission vehicles – electric and hydrogen buses.

Lublin is setting zero-emission trends. Thanks to investments in the fleet, four years earlier than required by law, we not only met but exceeded by 10% the required 30% threshold for zero-emission vehicles in the entire fleet. This does not change the fact that we still plan to systematically renew the fleet. Such an approach allows for a reduction in the operating and repair costs of vehicles, and above all, ensures the maintenance of the standard and quality of services provided to passengers. Currently, one of the key directions of development is the use of hydrogen-based technologies, and in this area, we focus our activities planning purchases of urban transportation vehicles, says Tomasz Fulara, President of MPK Lublin Sp. z o.o.

Simultaneously, the ZTM in Lublin is implementing the second stage of changes to the transport offer. In line with announcements and the adopted schedule of actions following public consultations, two completely new express lines will be launched. The first one, 301, will connect Poręba estate with Daszyńskiego Street, and the second one, 302, will connect Widok estate with Czechow. Both lines will operate every 30 minutes during peak hours. The existing express line 46 will be renumbered as 303.

We are also expanding the network of suburban lines; today we already have 29 of them. In agreement with Świdnik Municipality, the route of line 35 will be extended to Lublin Station. On the other hand, in cooperation with Niemce Municipality, line 30 will reach Majdan Krasieniński on selected courses. With Strzyżewice Municipality, we are launching a new line 28, running from the terminus at Żeglarska Street to Piotrowice. By connecting neighboring municipalities with Lublin’s urban buses, we effectively contribute to reducing traffic congestion in the city,” says Grzegorz Malec, Director of ZTM in Lublin.

The Lublin City Bike system will also bring new offerings. Starting from March 21, users of the city bike rental will have access to 5 electric bikes, with another 5 planned to be added later in the season. Electric bikes will be available for rental on the same basis as standard bicycles. Additionally, residents will also have the option to rent the first cargo bike.

“Dane show that Lublin City Bike is a popular means of transportation around the city, which is why we continuously improve and expand it year by year. In this year’s edition of the city rental, we are introducing the first 10 electric bikes and preparing to include the option of renting cargo bikes in the offer. Through this pilot, we want to gauge how these solutions will be received by residents and tourists. This will allow us to assess the potential and set the direction for actions in the next season,” says Arkadiusz Niezgoda, Director of the Department of Traffic Management and Mobility at the Lublin City Hall.

The city is also systematically expanding its network of bike infrastructure, which currently spans over 196 km, with additional bike paths planned for construction this year. In the first half of the year, the city plans to complete the construction of a bike path in the Rury ravine, and as a result of the implementation of winning projects from the Citizens’ Budget, bike lanes will be built along Lwowska Street, Nałęczowska Street, and Warszawska Avenue (on the even side) from Kraśnicka Avenue, as well as between Kryształowa Street and Berylowa Street.

In the coming years, with the help of European funds, the city plans to implement at least 30 km of bike lanes and approximately 10 km of bike paths linked to road investments, totaling 40 km of new infrastructure for cyclists. To apply for external funding for the implementation of this task, complete project documentation is required. A tender is currently underway for the first package of locations where bike paths will be located, including segments of Sławinkowska, Głęboka, Roztocze, Szeligowskiego, Północna, and Witosa Avenue. Meanwhile, the announcement of proceedings for the second part of the locations is planned for March. The designated segments include Plewińskiego, Smoluchowskiego, Podzamcze, Walecznych, Orkana, Zwycięska, Sławinkowska, and Kraśnicka Avenue. The project also includes tasks for which the city already has project documentation, such as the bike path along Abramowicka Street and Warszawska Avenue. One of the more significant bike projects for the coming years will be the modernization of the bike path along the Bystrzyca River.

The city’s goal for this year in terms of mobility is also to create a single, coherent document defining pedestrian and bike directions and standards. Work on it has already begun, with public consultations being the next step.

Transport and roads under one name

From July 1, the Road and Public Transport Management will start operating, bringing together tasks previously carried out by the Road and Bridge Management and the Public Transport Management under one structure. With the opening of the Lublin Station, one of the largest investments in recent years, the city has completed another stage of major road and transport projects. In the new EU perspective, most programs combine road construction with a transportation component, so aiming to optimize the processes, a new municipal unit has been established. The resolution on this matter was adopted at the January session of the Lublin City Council. Such a solution is already successfully practiced in cities like Łódź, Słupsk, Koszalin, Szczecin, and Bydgoszcz.

New roads

This year, the city has planned around 200 million PLN for road investments, road repairs, and sidewalk renovations, which will allow for the implementation of nearly 75 tasks.

We are systematically expanding the road infrastructure network, building new streets in the city. This improves safety and driving comfort in Lublin, as well as traffic service. Due to the scope of work and their cost, some of the investment tasks are co-financed with external funds,” says Artur Szymczyk, Deputy Mayor of Lublin for Investments and Development.

Work continues on the extension of Lubelskiego Lipca ’80 Street (96 million PLN). Road workers are also already working on the construction of the extension of Węglarza Street (nearly 49 million PLN). The expansion of Zorza Street (over 19.5 million), Wallenroda Street (over 13.3 million PLN), and Montażowa Street (over 6.8 million PLN), as well as the construction of Sławinek Street (over 7.8 million PLN), is ongoing. Work has also begun on the reconstruction of the footbridge on Filaretów Street (over 4.1 million PLN).

Proceedings are currently underway for the reconstruction of Samsonowicza Street and the construction of Kruszynowa Street. Additionally, work is underway on the complete project documentation for the reconstruction of Zana Street along its entire length. Tenders have also been announced for the selection of a design office to develop documentation for the reconstruction of Turystyczna Street. The city also intends to commission future documentation for the expansion of Nałęczowska Street (from the intersection with Mazowieckiego Avenue to the city limits). In 2024, the reconstruction of Pogodna, Pliszczyńska, Janowska, and Budowlana Streets is planned. The modernizations also include sidewalks adjacent to the streets, as well as solutions to protect pedestrians and drivers.