A master plan study was presented in Split on Monday which will revitalize the city’s East Coast and Kopilica area. The master plan was submitted by consultants from the company IC Consulenten from Austria. Split is one of many European cities that have resorted to long-term urban planning, supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which co-financed the project with 600,000 euro, reports Dalmacija Danas on March 18, 2019. 

Victoria Zinchuk, director of EBRD in Croatia, said she was lucky to be in Split today and explained why the EBRD decided to support this project. Zinchuk said that Split has great potential and that ERBD wants this to be only one in a series of projects that they will co-finance. She stressed that this would give a boost to the development of Split and thanked everyone who worked on this project, which required a lot of effort. 

Zinchuk added that they did not see the project as solving traffic congestion but rather creating a chance for the local population to gain new jobs.

James Mathews, a representative of the Austrian company IC Consulenten, said that Split has a lot to offer, and the goal of the project is to permanently increase housing and halt traffic congestion in the city center. He added that Kopilica would thus see a new railway and bus station, and the eastern coast of the city harbor and the airport would be connected by light rail.

From the very beginning, the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure has been involved in the project. 

“I am glad that there is interest in this study, which is an initiative for the development of spatial plans and, in the end, launching and realizing large projects in Split. The Ministry participated in the master plan. Without the distribution of traffic in this area it is impossible to accomplish this project. The traffic is most directly related to Kopilica and the East Coast. The Ministry prepared a whole series of transport projects that will ultimately contribute to the realization of all this.

The project of the fast road from Trogir to Omiš is ongoing. It is necessary to make a link from Solin to Podstrana and bypass Omiš. The agglomeration of about 300,000 inhabitants will be connected to one whole, and this is, after the Pelješac Bridge, the largest Croatian road construction project.

Apart from that, a whole range of projects are being developed, which we will talk about on Tuesday. Finally, the airport will be connected to Split by rail. In the 1990s, the EBRD participated in the preparation and beginning of realizing the EKO project, which is probably the most significant project implemented in Croatia. Over 300 million euro has been withdrawn, and it is my pleasure to see the gentlemen from the ERBD. I want this master plan to be the initiative of the future development of Split and the driver of all spatial plans that will lead to the realization of all the content that should be made in these two locations,” said State Secretary Tomislav Mihotić.

The mayor of Split, Andro Krstulović Opara, did not hide his satisfaction. 

“Our generation, your generation does not have the luxury to miss this. That is why this public hearing, which will last five to six weeks, with all of the workshops, is an excellent opportunity to perform tasks among different generations. I was critical of some of my predecessors, but I do not think I'm smarter than them. We have just taken advantage of the exceptional circumstances that have given us membership in the European Union and we are using the benefits of this unity.

The EBRD provided us with this great opportunity we decided to use. This plan is concentrated on several goals. The main goal is to achieve a city of the future that is concentrated on the future of young families and job creation, but also the changing structure of our city. We are talking about traffic, creating a new space for business and taking advantage of opportunities using examples from Vienna and London, who have achieved excellent results for their citizens with their knowledge.

Split is positioned as the center of the eastern Adriatic Coast and deserves what was here at the beginning of my address, and this is a common approach to thinking about the future that will have the same amount of time for the next few decades. Openness is something we want to see. Our cooperation and responsibility towards the generation in front of us is expected to be the best.

We want a Mediterranean city of the future, we want to create a whole host of benefits for young families to concentrate on raising their families here. We are planning on more than 20,000 jobs in this project. This is a generational step we can, want and and will use,” the mayor said.

I am convinced that by presenting this plan, by the quality of our experts, and by the public, which is invited to participate, we will not miss this, but we will take the opportunity. It's time - right now! I can see on your face that you are waiting to accomplish this goal, which we have presented in a contemporary way. United Split - Split united,” mayor Krstulović Opara finished his address.

The master plan, among other things, defines new tourism and residential properties. On the East Coast, the construction of residential buildings, hotels, and garages on several levels are planned. The East Coast would be "a place to preserve and enhance the historical significance of UNESCO heritage and a new place of residence for the local population."

In Kopilica, a new cargo port (RoRO) is planned for automobile transportation to the islands, but also a new waterfront or promenade and a tunnel below Bačvice. As a measure to retain inhabitants in the city, they plan to build 8,984 apartments in Kopilica and 286 apartments on the East Coast. The aim is to bring 19,764 inhabitants to Kopilica and 629 to the East Coast. 

The bridge across the Kaštela bay was considered a "long-term national project" that ensures access to the port in Kopilica from the state road. There would also be residential buildings, shops, rest areas, parks, and catering facilities along the coast. 

Unlike the past development vision, where this area was viewed only as a transit hub, it will now become a “modern neighborhood that has housing, education, a business center, and public, entertainment and tourist facilities."

You can see a photo gallery for the plans at Kopilica and the East Coast at Splitski Dnevnik. More details to come. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Slobodna Dalmacija reports on March 3, 2019, that professor Dražen Cvitanić, head of the Department of Roads at the Split Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Geodesy, claims that Split is getting themselves into a proper traffic disaster if they move the current bus station to Kopilica.

The professor came to this end after following the traffic on Hercegovačka Street on February 28 and March 1 (Thursday and Friday) from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., and historical traffic intensity data.

At the FGAG Roads Department, a traffic simulation was developed in the event the bus station and surrounding parking lots for personal and taxi vehicles, as well as tourist buses on Kopilica, were constructed. 

The simulation shows that in the afternoon peak period, it is practically impossible to enter Hercegovačka Street from the bus station and/or the parking lot because the intensity of traffic in the direction of Solin is greater than 1000 vehicles per hour, and in the direction of Split, more than 700 vehicles per hour, leaving no sufficient time gaps for safe engagement. The situation is similar in the morning only with reverse traffic distribution.

“Also, due to additional bus, taxi and passenger transport, there is a realistic situation that today, large columns of vehicles further propagate to upstream intersections on Stinice by blocking traffic to the exit from the central part of the city throughout the year,” said Cvitanić, and adds that at the same time, it is vitally important to relocate the bus station from the port to avoid crowds at Zvonimirova Street in the summer.

"It is very irresponsible to make an Ad-hoc decision without analyzing possible positive or negative consequences, especially since, for decades, there have been methods and models that serve to test specific ideas before implementation in practice, so that unpleasant surprises are avoided to the detriment of citizens and visitors to the city.

It should be emphasized that this is not only a 'good practice', but also an obligation for the GUP of the city of Split, which for the area of Kopilica prescribes the development of the Traffic Study and the Traffic and Technology Project, which has not been done,” professor Cvitanic concluded, and appeals to the city administration not to embark on routine decisions and implement projects without prescribed procedures, as this can lead to unimaginable consequences.

You can see the simulation below. 

To read more about Split, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

The new temporary bus station for Split, which will be located in the Kopilica area of the city, could cost almost three times more than the City estimated - and the question is whether it will really be a temporary solution after all. 

Although the estimated value of the works is 5 million kuna, the City of Split received only one offer for the project, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on January 18, 2019. 

Namely, only "Cestar" d.o.o. came out to play, and with an offer of almost three times more than the estimated cost - 13,587,055 kuna. 

The City received the single offer on Friday, though the procedure is far from over, as they must fully examine whether Cestar's offer is complete and satisfactory to the needs of the new station.

While we are not entirely sure why only one offer was presented for this highly anticipated project, it could have something to do with the short deadline for completion (3 months).

In addition to the short timeframe, the City, as far as we have been able to see, was not exactly meticulous as a contracting authority in the public procurement procedure.

Works in Kopilica were expected to happen by mid-February, following contract signing between the City and the ‘selected contractor’, and the deadline for appeal of any dissatisfied tenderers. In accordance with the foreseen three-month duration of construction, the new bus station and the four surrounding locations envisioned to accommodate cars and tourist buses would be arranged by the summer in the wider area of the existing railway station, which would be in line with the announcement that part of the East Coast traffic would be moved to Kopilica for the upcoming season.

According to the documentation produced by the company "Geoprojekt", between Hercegovačka Street and the railway tracks, there are plans to construct 18 covered parking platforms for buses. The largest part, with room for 10 buses, would be located closest to the tracks, the central "island" would boast five more places, and the remaining three would be next to the main road.

The existing access road facing the Public Fire Department complex would be significantly expanded and receive an appropriate sidewalk, but as far as project design is concerned, there was no envisaged expansion of Hercegovačka Street, which for decades has narrowed the entry to that part of the city.

An integral part of the overall project is arranging four surrounding parking lots for a total of 147 cars, seven taxi cabs and 51 tourist buses, with “Split Parking" as the official investor. The first location is the existing parking zone at the main building of the train station where a total of 21 spaces will be marked for passenger cars, including two for disabled parking, seven for taxi drivers and three for tourist buses.

The next parking lot would be somewhat to the east of the future station, near the intersection that leads from Hercegovačka street to the wider area of the station for the technical inspection of vehicles. There would be 46 spaces available to drivers (two for people with disabilities), and there would be a one-way street leading to the parking lot from the railway station along the railway line to the east, while Hercegovačka would only be the exit. In the immediate neighborhood, an even larger car park is planned with 80 spaces (four for people with disabilities).

On the northern side of the entire Kopilica station complex, the city administration intends to accommodate tourist buses, which, as well as for all other mentioned locations, they have signed a five-year lease agreement with the company "HŽ Infrastruktura". In front of the warehouse and the neglected tracks, there are large asphalted areas approaching Kopilica Street, which, until recently, linked the business and commercial zone in Stinice with the North Port. 

If the City of Split accepts Cestar’s 13.5 million kuna offer, should so much money be invested in a ‘temporary’ solution? Or should the Kopilica station become a permanent "temporary" solution in the end? 

To read more about Split, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

The City of Split announced a 5 million kuna public tender for the contractor for a new, temporary bus and train station in Kopilica, as well as for a total of four parking and car parking areas. This is the first concrete step towards the 'mini metro' in the city, a train between Kopilica and the city center itself, which should be operational in June this year, reports T.portal on January 3, 2019. 

As we announced earlier this week, the tender ends on January 18, and the deadline for the construction is three months. The plans entail renovating the old building owned by HŽ Cargo, constructing a bus station with 18-platforms, a car park with two hundred spaces and a large parking area for tourist buses.

From this location, passengers will travel through the existing railway tunnel on trains running every ten minutes - and the ride will only take a few minutes into the center. This is a temporary solution to circumvent the miserable crowds that rule in Split in the summer months.

Kopilica has long been designated in Split’s plans as the next major traffic junction with a large railway and bus station, which was proclaimed a state-of-the-art project at a recent session of the Government in Split. However, it is anticipated that it will take several years for its implementation and that this would be a temporary solution.

"After the government session, we are intensively working on studies and projects for the final solution, but in parallel, we have to act to ‘survive’ the summer and enable the healthy coexistence of our citizens and tourists. Traffic that does not necessarily need to go towards the center of the city will be diverted to Kopilica, and we will also introduce stimulating measures to make this happen,” the deputy mayor of Split Nino Vela said. 

According to Vela, a new measure will be introduced following the model of Dubrovnik: the fees for tourist buses entering the center of Split will double, to 700 or 800 kuna, while an hour of parking at Kopilica will amount to only ten percent of that amount.

Recall, last summer, due to huge crowds on the main city roads, it took more than an hour to access the city port and bus station. It is expected that most of the bus companies will divert their buses to the new temporary station in Kopilica, as it will be considerably more profitable. Namely, many of their passengers do not need to travel to the city center, and those who need to will have a much faster and simpler solution.

“In the summer months, Split runs between 500 and 800 international and long-distance lines, and there are about 300 tourist buses per day. These 1200 vehicles generate a traffic line of about 24 kilometers long, and we believe that this move will at least partially relieve the center of the city,” said the Vice President of the Croatian Chamber of Economy and Coordinator of this project, Mirjana Čagalj.

"The interim station is in limited spatial conditions. It will not be perfect, but in any case, it will be neater, more cultured and more functional than what we have today in the port,” added Čagalj.

Over the next few months, Croatian Railways will reconstruct three railway stations east of Kopilica (Dujmovača, Sveti Kajo and Širina in Solin) so that the use of local trains and subways reach as many people as possible. Nino Vela announced that the nearby Hercegovačka Street will be thoroughly reconstructed by the season, and will receive the bulk of the bus traffic.

"Next week, we will set up a gas network, and we will coordinate all the projects in parallel to renovate the street. It will remain the same dimensions, but it will get a sidewalk, reconstructed pavement, and quality crossings, and will flow better,” Vela announced.

Split's 'mini metro,' i.e., re-operating the few-kilometers-long railway tunnel, which was built 35 years ago and still unused to date, is the first phase of the planned connection between the Split ferry port and the airport, which is also proclaimed a strategic state project.

A feasibility study has been completed, which proposes the use of the existing line from Split to Kaštel Stari as the most favorable version and the construction of a new eight kilometers through Rudine to Split Airport.

To read more about Split, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

December 17, 2018 - Last Wednesday, the future layout of Kopilica, where the bus and train station will be moved next year, was presented. Ivan Mrvoš, the Solin innovator and CEO of Include, who you might know better for his smart bench fame, commented on the City of Split’s new project on his Facebook profile. Along with his comments, Mrvoš also included his visualisations for the station. 

"A few days ago, the City of Split announced the construction of a new bus/train station in Kopilica.

And now, here are some incredible facts:

- It is unbelievable that the second largest city in the country has so catastrophically visualized the project

- It is unbelievable that the project idea is what it is; literally, barracks that will serve as waiting/cloakrooms/WC, and then canopies that will end up on the waterfront when the first bura blows

- It is unbelievable that Split, which has several million overnight stays/guests through the summer and who literally lives from tourism, wants to build such a station, which is not worthy of the worst village in Zimbabwe

- It is unbelievable that no more serious money from the EU could be withdrawn if the city/county has no money for one of the most important projects of this century in Split

- It is unbelievable that by 2019, it will be announced as a 'metro', when a diesel train that is 10 or 20 years old is not a metro - but an old train

If there is still no money, why was the conceptual solution and visualization not taken to the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Geodesy in Split? There are certainly enough smart people there who would literally make a quality project 'pro bono'.

The current Split station was built in 1968, which had the same story then - TEMPORARY - but it's only temporary for 50 years. That will also be the case with this - that is 100%.

Those living in Split and its surroundings know about the problems in the summer when they need to take their car to the bus station, which is also the station for the rail, and ferry - because it is tightened to tens of thousands of square meters. Both stations (railway and bus) look catastrophic, are overcrowded, and in the summer, you often wait for hours to get to the ferry port by car/bus.

The idea to move the bus and train station to Kopilica and having a fast train/metro that goes every few minutes from the airport in Kaštela and through Solin and Kopilica, all the way to the ferry port, is a top idea - which has been dragged on for years, waiting for realization. It would be great to build a modern station at Split Airport and take people to the city center in only fifteen minutes. And that the buses no longer come to the port, but rather a modern metro on the fixed up terminals and a big plateau where the current bus station is. 

There is an entire series of problems with this project - from the fact that we do not even have an electrified track from Kaštela to Split (we run diesel trains LOL), the access road in Kopilica which is not built for future traffic, to the total disorganization of the last XY authorities that have nothing to do with this case.

Conclusion: It is better to do nothing than to build this kind of mockery. At the end of the next 50 years, we will have a 'temporary station' in Kopilica, with access roads that are not ready for it, without any connection with Kaštela, and I suppose with the remains of this current eyesore from the East Coast station. The four million kuna provided for 'this' is better spent on a quality conceptual design, visualization and for writing it as an EU project - getting serious money and then embarking on serious work. It's easier for us to survive for three more years with this station than to get another catastrophe.

And finally - I used some pointless hours this morning and made several quick amateur visualizations of the station solution in Kopilica (about 2, 3 hours). Otherwise, visualizations at the firm are done for several days for various projects and look really top-notch, because real renders require time. A couple of days on this project would bring about top visuals. I'm not an architect nor do I spend too much time on buildings, but this is probably the minimum that Split should have for the station. 

If somebody from the city even sees it - I am giving them an idea and visualization for free if they like it. This design solution follows Poljud/shell/wave, with a bunch of glass, steel and other materials. It includes 1,500 sqm of enclosed (air-conditioned) space with modern waiting areas, wardrobes, sanitary hubs, offices and kiosks (counters with less, just e-ticketing), 900 m2 of outdoor space with smart LED lighting, 18 buses with the option of expansion, places for taxis, a place to unload. 

On a 2,200 m2 roof there is an option for 330 kW solar panels - enough for the entire system to be completely energy-independent. Everything can be done, it is just a matter of the want/will, and as it is otherwise - it's missing."

To read more about Ivan Mrvoš, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

Will Split really have a new metro from next summer?

The final project should be presented to the public by March 2019.