Scenic Values of the Katowice-Częstochowa Section of National Road No
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Geographia Polonica 2014, 87, 1, pp. 113-125 Geographia Polonica Volume 87, Issue 1, pp. 113-125 http://dx.doi.org/10.7163/GPol.2014.7 INSTITUTE OF GEOGRAPHY AND SPATIAL ORGANIZATION POLISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES www.igipz.pan.pl www.geographiapolonica.pl SCENIC VALUES OF THE KATOWICE-CZĘSTOCHOWA SECTION OF NATIONAL ROAD NO. 1 Jerzy Nita • Urszula Myga-Piątek University of Silesia Faculty of Earth Sciences Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec: Poland e-mails: [email protected] • [email protected] Abstract The road investment stage is always preceded with projects, which relate to multifaceted economic, envi- ronmental and spatial analyses. The visual values of the surroundings are usually neglected when design- ing and building motorways and express roads The authors believe that the increasingly large-space range of motorway construction requires that more attention be paid to the landscape context of such investments. Functioning of all objects of the accompanying infrastructure of the transportation system affect the way the space is organized. The aim of the article is to assess, in detail, the scenic values of a selected section of the Pan-European Transport Road Corridor – National Road No. 1, in the Silesian Voivodship. The Pan-European Transport Road Corridor runs through Poland from south to north. Key words landscape assessment • landscape aesthetic • scenic values • visibility map • motorway • Silesian Voivodship Introduction mum routes for the transportation of goods and as sources of profit for their owners (door- Road investments are currently treated to-door deliveries requiring as much as pos- as wide-range economic enterprises. The sible in the shortest time possible, exchange investment stage is always preceded with of goods, and TIR transportation (Dołzbłasz projects, which relate to multiple-aspect 2012). As the principles of sustainable devel- economic, environmental and spatial analy- opment are popularised, designers are pay- ses. Dominating pragmatic reasons mean ing more attention to the local and regional that the economic criteria usually take prior- conditions of the natural environment, which ity in such analyses. Motorways and express force particular technical and technologi- roads are almost exclusively treated as opti- cal solutions (Fajer 2005). The phenomenon 114 Jerzy Nita • Urszula Myga-Piątek of transport anthropopressure is expre ssed presence and functioning of all objects of the not only in scientific research, but also has accompanying infrastructure of the transpor- its media reflection, which is loaded with tation system (including viaducts, cuts, tun- emotions1. The influence of transport routes nels, bridges, turnoffs, car parks, gas stations, on the natural environment mainly consists acoustic screens, etc.) affect the way the in changes in land morphology (construction space is organised. Thus, these objects deter- of cuts and emban kments in the ground), dis- mine the scenic and aesthetic values of the turbances in hydrological conditions, large vicinity. Objects of transportation infrastruc- area wood cutting, changes in natural biotic ture remain as permanent elements of the and ecological systems (including disru pted landscape for dozens of years (Rydzykowski natural migratory routes for animals) as well & Wojewódzka-Król 1997; Parsons & Daniel as increased air pollution and noise levels. 2002). For some large-s pace road invest- System operations have been developed ments, it would be appropriate to use the to neutralise some of the unfav orable environ- term ‘transportation landscape’, as a relative- mental consequences of motorway construc- ly new functional type of cultural landscape tion (Manecki 2000). The operations concern (Myga-Piątek 2012). This is particularly true e.g. animal protection and preservation of s uch interchanges as the Sośnicowice inter- of existing routes of species migration. Uni- change. Such transportation landscape are form standards are applied, e.g. for construc- relatively permanent in their function and are tion of footpaths, bridges or culve rts (Dzien- not restored to their original state (reclama- nik Urzędowy 1995; Georgij et al. 1999; Iuell tion). That is why it is so important to design et al. 2003). new transport road routes in a harmonious The visual values of the surroundings way. The designs should expose rather than are neglected when designing and building destroy or isolate landscape values. The motorways and express roads (Forczek-Brata- authors believe this issue to be particularly niec 2008). The development and protection important and timely since large road invest- of aesthetic values of space, especially areas ments are presently being made in Poland. adjacent to roads, are a planning challenge. The issue of the scenic values of roads In the current legal system, however, which being destroyed by excessive, and frequently regulates issues related to spatial planning unjustified, ’isolating’ of motorways with and management, the aesthetic terms are sound scree ns, is currently a hot topic in the poorly dealt with (Polska 2011). Polish media. Noise screens are installed The authors believe that the increasingly more and more often, and there are absurd large-space range of motorway construc- examples of their use. This situation largely tion requires that more attention be paid results from the excessively strict Polish to the landscape context of such investments norms on traffic-induced noise limits in built- (Bishop 2003; Arriaza et al. 2004; Koziarski -up ar eas – 50 dB night time and 60 dB day 2004; Janeczko 2008, 2012; Lörzin 2010). time average (Dziennik Urzędowy 2007). Being a multi -lane and large-distance ele- Screens isolate the road from built-up areas, ment of the landscape, express roads and but also hide the surrounding from the view motorways change the landscape signifi- of drivers and passengers. A trip can become cantly. A ’cut -through’ effect is produced for exceptionally monotonous (tunnel ride effect). areas having different types of use (de facto Consequently, traffic safety is hindered. different types of cultural landscapes). The Screens increase landscape fragmentation and have a negative effect on the percep- 1 The most known examples of social commitment tion of the vicinity. Sometimes, their absurd include large-scale protests of ecological organizations location causes residents of housing estates concerning plans for the construction of Motorway A4 near St. Anna’s Mountain or the Augustów ring road to complain that screens reduce visibility in the Rospuda Valley. in their immediate vicinity. Screens reduce Geographia Polonica 2014, 87, 1, pp. 113-125 Scenic values of the Katowice-Częstochowa section of National Road No. 1 115 scenic values both for road users and resi- treated as tourist attractions (Walker 1993; dents of areas adjacent to roads. WSDT 2005; Rogge et al. 2007; CALTRANS It is not only drivers who use roads, but 2013). A classical example could be the also tourists and passengers of cars and renowned historic ‘Route 66’ or scenic roads coaches, for whom the road is more than like ‘US Route 40 Scenic’ and ‘US Route 412 an element of the transportation system. Scenic’. In Europe, scenic values are exposed A trip along a motorway is also for sightsee- along old motorways, e.g. along A2, which ing and first impressions. Various views are goes through the Austrian Alps, or the Italian provided by the direction of the road, and A10 also called the Highway of Flowers. There new sights are j ust around the bend (Horn- are the newly constructed motorways which beck 1970; Hornbeck & Okerlund 1973; Croatia and Slovenia take pride in. These Żakowska 2001; Forczek-Brataniec 2008; motorways provide service and parking plac- Garre et al. 2009; Rogowski 2009). When es with lookouts (Dell’Acqua et al. 2011). This appropriately designed, a road can be an concept is not popular in Poland yet. excellent promotional tool of the region peo- ple travel to or through. A road is also impor- Objectives and scope tant, because it offers what is often the first important encounter with the region. Being The aim of the article is to assess, in detail, a kind of landmark fo r a region, it may give the scenic values of a selected section travelers aesthetic impressions (positive of the Pan-European Transport Road Corridor or negative) and be judged by them. An opin- (Fig. 1) – National Road No. 1 (E75 on interna- ion about a region can then spread furth er tional nomenclature) in the Silesian Province. (e.g. the widespread myth of ’black Silesia’). The Pan-European Transport Road Corridor The concept of a scenic route is hardly pop- runs through Poland from south to north. The ular in Poland. Scenic values of roads are well two-lane road was built in the 1970s to con- exposed in the United States. ‘Scenic routes’ nect the country’s two most economically or ‘scenic byways’ are legally protected and advanced centers – Warsaw and the Upper DENMARK LITHUANIA Ia BELARUS VI NETHERLANDS I II II POLAND BELGIUM GERMANY CZECH III UKRAINE CZECH REP. REPUBLIC FRANCE MOLDOVA SLOVAKIA AUSTRIA SWITZERLAND HUNGARY ROMANIA SLOVENIA ITALCROATIA VI BOS NIA AND SERBIA HERZ EGOWINA BULGARIA MONTENEGRO KOSOVO ALBANIA MACEDONIA GREECE Y TURKEY Figure 1. Pan-European Transport Corridor running through Poland from the south to the north, and the location of the fragment of the discussed route on the map of Poland Geographia Polonica 2014, 87, 1, pp. 113-125 116 Jerzy Nita • Urszula Myga-Piątek Silesia conurbation. No improvements had based on surface features. The actual visibil- been made on the road for the last few dec- ity analysis takes into account the land cover. ades. It is currently an example of Poland’s Such analyses make it possible to develop vis- large delays in the construction of roads ibility maps and determine the so-called sce- of high technical-functional parameters. Our nic absorption. Potential locations of objects, detailed analyses concerned one of the most which should be hidden or exposed in the traffic-congested sections, Katowice-Często- landscape would be pointed out.