The AutoMat Association’s happening highlights the absurdities of the Prague highway

“With the ‚9 seconds for the people‘ happening, we want to draw attention to the petition initiated by our association, which aims to raise awareness among Prague’s citizens and, to some extent, put pressure on politicians regarding the future of the Magistral in this part of the city,” said AutoMat’s director Martin Šotola to ČTK. According to Šotola, the planned reconstruction is based on various plans and studies. “We would be happy to see as many as possible of the aspects of those plans  incorporated that ensure pedestrian accessibility and reduce the impact of emissions and noise from car traffic,” he added.

The petition, which includes a specific vision for the Magistral, has already been signed by nearly 1,000 people, with the goal of reaching 1,500 signatures—enough for the City Council to take it into consideration. The goal is to adjust the infrastructure so that one mode of transport does not hinder another. AutoMat illustrated the inequality by citing the 9-second interval for pedestrians at crosswalks, while cars have 30 seconds to drive through, despite the fact that the number of pedestrians is similar to that of drivers.

Last year, Prague city officials approved three conceptual studies for the planned reconstruction of the North-South highway. At the end of 2023, the city selected designers tasked with making partial improvements to the road in the Prague 2 district—such as adding new trees and quick-stop zones. However, AutoMat notes that the guidelines for these changes are very vague, which is why they created the petition. The petition demands new crosswalks instead of underpasses, a segregated cyclepath, more sidewalk space, and a reduction in the number of traffic lanes.

Chairwoman of the Cycling Commission: The cyclepath will come

The event was supported by architect and urban planner Petr Bednár, as well as politicians from the Czech Pirate Party, including Gabriela Lněničková and the chairwoman of Prague’s Cycling Commission, Bára Soukup. Soukup stated that the project for modifying the Magistral is now being finalized and will be presented in the fall. According to Soukup, the project will also include a cycle lane.