One of Prague's most neglected areas is getting a new look

One of Prague’s neglected corners will get a new look. The bus terminal at the Černý Most metro stop will be transformed into a comfortable and modern transportation hub.

Prague City Hall this week approved a conceptual study by the studio re:architekti together with other experts. The biggest change will be the removal of footbridges and the filling in of the terminal area.

The planning of the transformation is still in the early stages and it will be at least 10 years before the results are visible. Assessing the plan’s impact on traffic in the surrounding area is the next step.

“The unsightly maze of complex constructions is reduced to one level. This will create a clear space with a pleasant square that will be directly connected to the subway exit,” Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib said on Facebook.

He added that the terminal is dilapidated, poorly roofed, insufficiently lit, polluted, and architecturally unsuitable for current needs.

“At the same time, the transport hub serves up to 100,000 inhabitants per day. In addition, over 15,000 residents live in the housing estate around the terminal, who go to school, work, or spend their free time here. They all deserve a quality public space,” he said.

The concept study addresses the terminal’s current shortcomings and proposes a simpler and clearer space for users. The aim is to create an attractive place with a square, shops, trees, and a transport terminal that will be pleasant for area residents, commuters, and visitors to shopping centers near the terminal.

Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr, responsible for transportation issues, said on Facebook that the terminal has not functioned properly since its creation in 1998 when the metro B line was extended from Českomoravská to Černý Most.

Before the renovation starts, some temporary measures will take place such as repairs to the bridge structure and the addition of a new information system.

The study was created in cooperation with Prague residents and passengers who use the terminal. “People could ask the authors about specific changes and at the same time submit comments that were incorporated into the final draft,” Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR Praha) director Ondřej Boháč said.

The Prague 14 district, regional transport organizer ROPID, the Prague Prague Transit Company (DPP), the Czech Police, and the city’s Department of Transport were all consulted on the plan.