Development of ITS in Polish cities

Objectives of ITS in Poland

• Control of vehicular traffic on the road network and reduction of its congestion status,
• More efficient use of existing road and transportation infrastructure,
• Improving travel conditions with respect to transport intermodality,
• acceleration of public transport, especially streetcars and buses
• increase demand for travel by public and alternative transportation
• providing current information (for drivers and passengers) useful in the planning phase and during the trip,
• increase safety for traffic users,
• Environmental monitoring and protection.

How did it start?

The beginnings of ITS in Poland date back to the years 2003-2004 and implementation of the traffic control system in the newly opened Tunnel under Wisłostrada. Then it was decided to develop the ITS system in Warsaw by adding additional elements, e.g. connected with construction of the Integrated Traffic Management System.

At the same time, work also began on the implementation of the ITS system in Krakow, the first city where the system was integrated from the beginning with the Tram Transport Management System and included priority for tramway vehicles.

In 2013, ITS implementation began in Białystok, where the system covered the entire city – with a population of nearly 300,000 and nearly 120 intersections with traffic lights

Simultaneously with Bialystok, work began on the ITS system in Poznan, where a characteristic feature is the large-scale use (nearly 300 units) of ANPR cameras for recognition of vehicle license plates, which help gather information on current traffic conditions.

ITS Poznań

Yunex Traffic has also started a project to extend the ITS system in the capital of Podkarpacie region – Rzeszow, where for the first time in Poland the environmentally friendly 1-watt technology was introduced in traffic lights, translating into significant savings in energy consumption for the city.

ITS on a growing scale

The implementation of ITS in Polish cities is progressing, and cities are more and more often noticing measurable benefits resulting from the operation of the systems – including improvement of the functioning of public transport and effective use of the existing road infrastructure.

In 2013-2019 several contracts for development of ITS systems were signed, among others in Białystok, Poznań, Cracow or Rzeszów (where priority for privileged transport will be introduced for the first time in Poland). Maintenance activities were also performed in Gdańsk in currently the largest tunnel under the Martwa Wisła river in Poland.

Also in the capital city, it was decided to develop the ITS system between 2017 and 2025 together with Yunex Traffic, as exemplified by the modernization of the Traffic Control Center in Warsaw or the introduction of bicycle totems to facilitate the movement of cyclists around the city.

Modernized traffic control center in Warsaw

ITS is a powerful tool for city management. Today, control systems are not limited to controlling traffic lights, modern ITS solutions are very complex and include many subsystems. From the level of ITS we can not only manage traffic or its flow. The goal of such systems is to make available maximum capacity offered by the road. It also includes integration with parking systems, public transport, i.e. the possibility of influencing priorities or dynamic management of timetables displayed at bus stops, as well as integration with air pollution monitoring. All this contributes to the implementation of the “smart city” vision in Polish cities

Dariusz Obcowski, President of Yunex Sp. z o.o.

This is confirmed by the contract signed in 2019 for the creation of the most comprehensive ITS system in Poland, in Tychy. The work was completed in 2022.