In 2022, the capital city hall did not build a single kilometer of bike lanes, although at the beginning of the year it allocated 43 million lei in the budget for this. Only at the end of the year did the construction of the bike path on Șos begin. Kiselyova, on the sidewalk, where there used to be a path, but the work has not been completed. Otherwise, work has not started because the building permits have expired. In 2023, work may begin on the runway on Libertății Blvd – Piața Constituției – Unirii Blvd – Decebal Blvd – Basarabia Blvd – National Arena.

“Route 1 – section 2, between Arc de Triomphe – Piața Presei Libere is under construction, work is currently underway on Șos. Kiseleva, where the asphalt layer on the sidewalk was milled, the old curbs were removed and replaced with new granite curbs, then the worn asphalt layer was poured for a length of 600 ml, on the right side, from the Triumphal Arch to the street. Square of the free press,” says the response of the capital’s mayor’s office to Hotnews.ro’s request.

The works are performed by the utility company SC TRUSTUL DE CLADIRI METROPOLITANE SA. The value of the contract is 3,944,323.50 lei (value without VAT).

The City Hall of the capital allocated more than 43 million lei in the budget for 2022 for the development of bicycle paths in the north of the capital and for the building Elisabeta and Splaiul Independentei, but also some new ones on bd. Iancu de Hunedoara, Ștefan cel Mare Road, Mihai Bravo Road, bd. Unirii, bldg. Decebal and Bessarabska Blvd.

But the track was not made. In a response sent to HotNews.ro’s request, representatives of the capital’s mayor’s office report that the construction permits have expired.

“For these routes, it was necessary to restart the procedure for obtaining new construction permits, as the original construction permits had expired. Route 4 is currently in the authorization procedure: B.dul Libertății – Piața Constituții – B.dul Unirii – B.dul Decebal – B.dul Basarabia – Arena Națională, which we want to implement during the next year 2023, after the Construction Permits will be issued on each separate plot, and the communal enterprise SC TRUSTUL DE CLĐIRI METROPOLITANE SA will perform the works,” the capital city hall informed.

In particular, the capital city hall, at the proposal of the general mayor Nikusor Dan, provided in the budget for 2022 the financing of the following bike paths:

• Implementation of a bicycle transport system in the central part of Bucharest – Route 1 – Piața Victoriei – B. Aviatorilor – Bd. Beijing – Str. Mykola Karamfil – Sos. Pipera – Alexandru Šerbanescu Street – Aerogării Boulevard – DN 1 – Presey Libere Square – Șos Kiseleff – Bd. Constantin Prezan according to HCGMB no. 248/04/05/2018 – 6.6 million lei;
• Implementation of the bicycle transport system in the central part of the city of Bucharest – Route 2,3, 4 – Piața Victoriei – Bd. Iancu de Hunedoara – Șos. Stephen the Great – Sos. Mihai Bravu 3 – – Calea Victoriei – Regina Elisabeta Blvd – M. Kogalniceanu Blvd – Independence Splaiul – 4 – Libertății Blvd – Unirii Blvd – Decebal Blvd – Bessarabia Blvd HCGMB No. 316,317,318/14.06.2018 38 – 37 million lei;

From the first form, part of the tracks were made back in 2018. What remains to be done is the section between Casa Presei, Șos. Kiselev and bd. availability

From mold 3, the product was made on Calea Victoriei, between bd. Elisabeta and Piața Naționile Unite, those on Independence Splaiul, on the road, and those on Bd.Regina Elisabeta and Bd.M.Kogalniceanu. On the sidewalk. The ones on the sidewalk are not functional, as HotNews.ro showed here, and the ones on Splaiul Independenții, although on the road because they were not separated from the traffic lanes by bollards, are often occupied by parked cars or cars driving on them.

So routes 2 and 4 and a piece of route 1 remained unfinished.

Since 2014, the capital city hall has received 10 million euros from the Ministry of Ecology for the construction of 100 km of bicycle paths. However, the institution managed to make a technical project to receive money only in 2018, when work began on the first section of Piaţa Victoriei – Bdul. Aviatorilor – bdul. Beijing – St. Nicolae Caranfil – Sos. Piper, now complete. In general, the project envisages four bicycle paths with a total length of about 48 km.

Route 1 has two branches:

• Department 1: Piaţa Victoriei – Bdul. Aviatorilor – bdul. Beijing – St. Nicolae Caranfil – Sos. pepper;
• Department 2: Bdul. Konstantin Prezan – Sos. Kiselyova – Free Press Square

The length of the arteries along which this route runs is approx. 7.70 km, and the total length of the planned cycle paths is approx. 9.30 km.

Route 2

• P-ța Victoriei – Bd. Iancu de Hunedoara – Șos. Stephen the Great – Sos. Michael Bravo.

The length of the arteries along which this route runs is approx. 8.60 km, and the total length of the planned cycle paths is approx. 17.20 km.

Route 3

• Calea Victoriei – Bd Regina Elisabeta – Splaiul Independentii – Bd Naţionele Unite (Pod Grozăvești)

The length of the arteries along which this route runs is approx. 5.50 km, and the total length of the planned cycle paths is approx. 10.15 km.

Route 4

• Freedom Boulevard – Constitution Square – Uniri Boulevard – Decebal Boulevard – Bessarabia Boulevard – National Stadium.

The length of the arteries along which this route runs is approx. 6.19 km, and the total length of the planned cycle paths is approx. 11.60 km.

City council Sector 2, PNRR financing of 36 km of bicycle paths

Sector 2 City Hall has received funding through the PNRR for 36 km of bike lanes, Sector 2 Mayor Rada Mihaj announced in November.

“We are one step closer to completing 36.45 km of bicycle paths. The project submitted to PNRR was approved. 35,886,483 lei will go to the budget of sector 2 for bicycle infrastructure. This will be the largest investment project dedicated to bicycle lanes in Bucharest. We are increasing the area of ​​cycling infrastructure by almost 4 times. Our proposal involves the creation of a two-wheeled transport network. Together with the Mihai Bravo-Stefan cel Mare axis, which is already in the design stage at PMB, Sector 2 will have bicycle routes organized in such a way as to ensure connections between the most important points,” wrote Radu Mihaiu in November on his Facebook page.

It follows that the feasibility study will be undertaken by the City Hall of Sector 2, which will be done in partnership with the Capital City Hall.

“It remains to be seen whether PMB will maintain its intention to create bike lanes on Șos on its own. Stephen the Great. If not, there is another appeal to the PNRR and we will apply for funding, let’s do that too,” Radu Mihaju explained to HotNews.ro

After the completion of the feasibility study, design and implementation contracts should be concluded. “Work can begin no earlier than in 2024,” Mihayu said.

According to the City Hall of Sector 2, there are 10 bike lanes, and the proposed route:

• Route 1 (2.45 km): Piața Iancului – Bd. Pache Protopopescu – Blvd. Carol I – Pța. K. A. Rosetti
• Route 2 (3.10 km): Pța. CA Rosetti – Icon Garden – Pța. Gheorghe Cantacuzino –– Pța. Spain –– str. Leonida – Circus Alley – Circus Park
• Route 3 (2.10 km): Circului Park – Ghica Tei Boulevard – Tei Park – Plumbuita Park
• Route 4 (4.20 km): metro Obor – st. Mašina de Paine – Circului park (alley/border street) – st. Barbu Văcărescu – sector 2 restriction in Aurel Vlaicu metro area
• Route 5 (4.45 km): metro Obor – Pța. Obor – st. Ziduri Moşi – Veranda Mall – Sos. Electronics – st. Baikului – st. Major Ion Koravu – National Park
• Route 6 (4.35 km): Ion Creangă Park – Str. Buzeului mountains – str. Nistor Răileanu – Str. Nikolay Kanya – str. Moroeni – str. Balotului – str. Major Vasile Bachila – Plumbuita Park
• Route 7 (2.90 km): Ioanida Park – Dacia Boulevard – St. Trajan – Foişorul de Foc – Boulevard Ferdinand I – Pţa. Pache Protopopescu – Str. Saint Stephen – Pţa. Saint Stephen
• Route 8 (7.10 km): Border sector 2 – Road. Kolentina – Kalya Mosylor – Boulevard Carol I
• Route 9 (2.90 km): Andronakhivsky cemetery – st. Litoralui – st. Ice Factory – Sos. Colentina
• Route 10 (2.90 km): Barbu Văcărescu boulevard (intersection with Gh. Țițeica street) – st. Tunari (intersection with Mihai Eminescu St.)

Currently, there are only 32 km of tracks in Bucharest. Out of 32 km, 8.7 km is sector 2 – by road. Pantelimon and Glucose Plant. The rest are located on Calea Victoriei, bd. Elizavety, Maidan Nezalezhnosti, around IOR Park. By comparison, Paris has 1,200 km of bike lanes (city plus metropolitan area).