A full-service project
The engineering company Egis announces the successful completion of the project signed with the Oradea City Hall - "Sustainable Urban Mobility Corridor in Emanuil Gojdu Square in Oradea" stages I and II. The company was involved in all phases of development and implementation, from the feasibility study to the supervision of the construction activities of the passages that currently crosses the main square of the city.
A complex challenge
Located in the historic center of Oradea, the project area includes important tourist attractions and points of interest for the inhabitants of the municipality, such as the Episcopal Cathedral of the Resurrection of the Lord, the Oradea Fortress, the House of Culture, the 1 December Park, and the cliff of the Crișul Repede River. The project required a careful and meticulous approach to the complex particularities of the area. The major road arteries intersecting the project area provided a significant part of the transit traffic in the North-South/West (Deva – Satu Mare) and East-West (Cluj – Borș) directions, as well as a portion of the public passenger transport (tram – 5 lines, buses – 6 lines), which increased the project's difficulty.
In response to the challenge of transforming the large Emanuil Gojdu Square and its surroundings, which faced numerous traffic issues due to intersecting boulevards, tramways, and busways, Egis designed a solution that involves sending traffic underground, creating dedicated bus lines, and prioritizing the tramway. This approach aims to leave an open pedestrian square that offers the best views.
Achievements
Through the implementation of the project, the following specific objectives were achieved: creating pedestrian corridors that highlight the cultural heritage of Oradea, attracting visitors and generating economic benefits for local businesses and the labor force; creating dedicated and priority corridors for public transport to minimize delays on the route and ensure compliance with the travel schedule; creating conditions to increase the safety of road and pedestrian traffic and reduce the risk of accidents; stimulating the use of public transport over individual vehicles, resulting in reduced CO2 emissions, lower air pollution, and decreased noise levels in the locality.
Egis' solution to the challenge of improving mobility in Oradea focuses on increasing the attractiveness of public transport, encouraging non-motorized transport, and reducing traffic problems, all while expanding areas for pedestrians. This approach has important environmental benefits and an impressive community impact, prioritizing public transportation, with 1640 m dedicated to bus lanes and a new pedestrian area of 7698 m² and 1168 m bicycle lanes. Egis' solution also results in a significant annual decrease in greenhouse gases.
From feasibility assessment to project implementation assistance, Egis defined the project in detail, taking into account all the area constraints, such as proximity to the Crișul Repede River, proximity to large buildings, and utility networks. The project involved extensive analyses on construction methods to enable safe works, as well as temporary traffic diversion planning, utilities relocation, and soil stability calculations. Egis redefined the area into a complex underground traffic network, while creating an impressively large pedestrian area that completes a historical and cultural corridor from the City Hall to the Medieval Fortress, which was previously interrupted by the large boulevard in Emanuil Gojdu Square.
During the construction phases, Egis continued to provide detailed design and technical assistance to ensure that the construction was in accordance with the project objectives.
The entire project required approximately 6 years to complete, from the feasibility study phase to its commissioning. The total value of the works in phases I and II was approximately 38 million euros.
