Valruzia

[Aethan]

Mayor of Nowogard announces huge investment in Nowogard Metro

Józef Nowik says the expansion will be "the largest investment in years" to connect parts of the city

May 5706

Nowogard Metro map with the expansion included

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The municipal government of the capital, led by re-elected Józef Nowik, announced this morning that it has already begun the process of “the largest expansion” of the city's subway system.

According to the mayor, this expansion will speed up travel for “more than half a million city residents” and save time for many other Nowogardians. The work, which will affect subway lines 4, 12, and 13, will be carried out in three phases to “minimize inconvenience to citizens” and is expected to continue until the next election cycle, although according to the city council, they will try to speed up the procedures and works “as much as possible,” always respecting “the safety of the facilities and passengers.”

In addition, the city council has renewed travel passes for citizens, dividing them into the so-called "AboNo Discount" for young people under 28, retirees, and large families, priced at 20 VPO per month; and the "AboNo Normal", for all other citizens, at a regular price of 50 VPO per month.

Discount Pass (red) and Normal Pass (blue) of the Nowogard Public Transport system

In addition, the AboNo will be valid for the entire public transport network in the city, including buses and trams. This major infrastructure overhaul not only aims to modernize the existing network but also to effectively integrate the peripheral districts that have seen exponential demographic growth over the last decades.

The master plan presented by the Department of Urban Planning outlines a strategic schedule designed to ensure the current network remains operational during the works:

Phase 1 (Line 4): This will focus on the northern extension, connecting the line with the rest of Northern lines. This phase is expected to reduce surface traffic by 30% by the end of next year.

Phase 2 (Line 12): The "Axis Line" will receive a complete signaling system upgrade and the conection of its southern part with Line 7, facilitating intermodal travel without the need to pass through the congested Central Station, reducing travel times by more than 35%.

Phase 3 (Line 13): Considered the most complex engineering feat of the project, this phase involves excavating a new tunnel to connect the whole southern lines with the West part of the city and adding stations to previously unconnected parts of the city.

The announcement was met with optimism by local trade associations, though some environmental groups have called for additional guarantees regarding waste management during the excavations. In response, Mayor Nowik has been emphatic: "We are not just building tunnels here, we are building a climate-neutral city. Every trip on the Nowogard Metro is a victory against carbon emissions"

In addition to physical infrastructure, the city has confirmed the purchase of 45 new autonomous train units and a new purchase of 60 enviromentally-friendly buses. These will be equipped with state-of-the-art air filtration systems and wireless charging zones for mobile devices, significantly elevating the comfort standards for daily commuters.

The implementation of the new AboNo (Discount and Normal) will begin on the first Monday of next month. The administration has launched a mobile application where citizens can validate their credentials and obtain a digital pass immediately, avoiding queues at station vending machines.

With this investment, Nowogard aims at positioning itself as a national and even regional leader in urban mobility, setting the stage for a more connected and accessible metropolis for the 58th century.