What has improved along Argentinská in recent years?

These changes, in combination, have the potential to significantly transform the possibilities for cycling routes through the area, creating new connections that few would have thought possible just a few years ago.

We’ve already covered many changes, such as the opening of the Štvanická Bridge or the new bike lanes on Vrbenského [in Czech – eds.], in detail. However, we haven’t paid as much attention to other developments. Today, we will highlight changes on Argentinská Street and its surroundings, mostly implemented between 2021 and 2023.

To begin, it’s worth recalling the initial state, detailed in articles from early 2015 (here and here [both in Czech – eds.]), with which today’s article compares the current situation.

What has changed on Argentinská in recent years?

Numerous changes have taken place on Argentinská:

• Continuous bike lanes have been added along the entire stretch from Bubenské Embankment to Plynární, even through intersections. For the most part, these are dedicated bike lanes, and in some sections, standard bike lanes. Bike lanes have also been added on Za Viaduktem Street, connecting the existing infrastructure at Kapitána Jaroše Embankment with the bike lanes on Argentinská.
• Cycling is now permitted on the entire eastern sidewalk from Bubenské Embankment to Barikádníků Bridge, with bike crossings added throughout the stretch. This has created a north-south connection across all of Prague 7, without interacting with motor traffic. It can also serve as an alternative route to the main A2 cycling route; from a distance perspective, the route through Holešovice is shorter.
• Legalized sidewalks have been added on the western side of Za Viaduktem Street, connecting the path along the western side of Argentinská with the Vltavská metro station. This allows cyclists to travel off-road from Nádraží Holešovice to Vltavská metro station.
• Legalized sidewalks have been added at the intersection of Argentinská and Bondyho streets, which, in combination with the new two-way cycling lane on Jankovcova Street, has made the western sidewalk of Barikádníků Bridge accessible.
• Several bike crossings have been added, connecting the western and eastern sides of Argentinská. Noteworthy is the modification of the Dělnická intersection and a new bike crossing at the Plynární intersection.
• A number of bike racks have been systematically added. Argentinská is now one of the few streets in Prague where bike racks can be found directly in front of building entrances.

It’s worth noting that many of these changes were made in a non-construction mode, utilizing modifications to traffic lights or surface reconstructions. Only a small portion of the changes involved actual construction, with most of these implementations being the result of changes to traffic signage.

The resulting state may not be perfect, but it clearly shows what can be achieved in a local environment when appropriate attention is paid to cycling transport during various changes and it is systematically integrated into projects.

Continuous bike lanes

In recent years, Argentinská has gained continuous bike lanes, even through intersections. Most of these are dedicated lanes, which should be the standard given the intensity of traffic, but due to unfavorable width constraints, dedicated bike lanes are connected to standard lanes in several sections.

In any case, on Argentinská Street, at least in the section between Bubenské Embankment in the south and the intersection with Plynární in the north, the Prague-style dual solution has arguably reached its peak. Throughout this section, one can legally ride on the sidewalk or choose to ride on the road in the bike lanes. While there could probably be more entry and exit points to and from the traffic lanes, some do exist in this section. At this point, only minor improvements could be made without construction. Further enhancements would require a redesign of the street profile.

Legalized eastern sidewalk

We introduced the legalization of the western sidewalk back in 2015. It has now been downgraded from a shared path to a sidewalk with permitted cycling, bringing it in line with the regime of the surrounding new sections, and probably better reflecting the nature of the area. From a cycling perspective, however, this represents a reduction in the standard.

The eastern sidewalk has now also been legalized under the same regime. It ensures a fully legal route from the A2 cycling path in the south to the A2 path in the north, offering an interesting new north-south connection free from traffic.

New bike crossings over Argentinská

In addition to the bike crossings along Argentinská, several bike crossings across Argentinská have been added or revised. The most significant ones are located at the intersections with Plynární, Dělnická, and Jateční. These crossings provide easy movement between the eastern and western sides of the street and can also be used to access the newly opened Nicholas Winton Avenue from Holešovice, heading towards Bubny and Letná.

Legalization of the sidewalk along Za Viaduktem

Thanks to a project by the AutoMat association (MNK is an independent project of the association, editor’s note), the sidewalk along Za Viaduktem Street was legalized. The legalization of the western sidewalk was logically connected to the Vltavská metro station. However, it should be noted that the situation in the area was still complicated by unlowered curbs. Additionally, the section has been closed for several months due to the construction of the adjacent railway station. We do not have confirmation of the current state of the area.

Jankovcova - Bondyho

A short two-way cycling section on Jankovcova and the legalization of the adjoining sidewalks west of Argentinská made it possible to legally access the western sidewalk over the Barikádníků Bridge from the Nádraží Holešovice metro station. Bike crossings were added at the intersection with Bondyho.

New bike racks

Along the eastern side of Argentinská, bike racks have been systematically added in conjunction with the reconstruction of the sidewalks. As a result, a for Prague unusually high number of bike racks can be found in front of ordinary building entrances.

Summary

The passage along Argentinská has significantly changed over the past four years. Regarding the local infrastructure, it’s important to remember that cyclists do not have priority over motor traffic at unsignaled bike crossings (or pedestrian-bike crossings). On sidewalks where cycling is permitted, cyclists must adhere to the maximum speed limit of 20 km/h.

As mentioned earlier, this section offers nearly the best of Prague’s dual solution approach. Is it ideal? A street as busy and generously sized as this would certainly deserve a much better solution, such as Danish-style cycle tracks. However, given the reality of Prague and the intensity of local cycling traffic, the current state represents nearly the maximum that could be achieved without major construction changes. It’s also worth noting that, according to Prague’s plans, this street only hosts „main“ cycling routes. The superior A6 and A4 routes are planned to run a few dozen meters further west through the developing Bubny–Zátory area.

Regardless, a new north-south off-road connection has opened for Prague’s cycling traffic. In combination with the opening of Nicholas Winton Avenue to the west and the Štvanická footbridge to the south, it provides opportunities for new routes through the city, even for those hesitant to cycle in heavy traffic. Let’s not forget that Holešovice recently introduced widespread two-way cycling on one-way streets, making many journeys shorter, easier, and faster. You just need to find them.

However, there are still several construction activities ongoing in the area. We recommend checking our map for current information, as passage north to the Barikádníků Bridge is still restricted due to ongoing construction.