Currently, the biggest renovation works are taking place in the vicinity of the Liepāja bus station and on Rīgas Street, which leads to the city center. For the first time in a very long time, tram traffic even had to be closed completely in order to replace a section of track at the terminus of the tram line over three days. Despite the difficult conditions, tram movements in Liepāja continue with 14 new low-floor trams operating.
The center of Liepāja has undergone extensive street repairs and reconstructions. The moment when traffic will be fully restored near central Rožu Square is approaching, but people have already started using the newly created tram stop.
Didzis Jēriņš, deputy executive director of the Liepāja City Council, said the new trams were more accessible to those with mobility issues and that the new network will be much more environmentally friendly.
In the old town part of the city, the repair works of the tram tracks are coming to an end, but the works will continue in the more modern districts until the new year.
Aigars Puks, a member of the board of SIA "Liepājas tramvajs" (Liepāja tramways), said: "There have been no renovation works in this particular place for 20 years. 20 years ago [they happened], but, of course, it has never been so fundamental. All our projects are not only related to the replacement of tram tracks, but also to all communications, road surfaces, sidewalks, etc."
The total costs of the reconstruction projects of tram lines in both Jaunliepāja and Vecliepāja have reached 15 million euros. 85% of these costs are financed by the European Union's Cohesion Fund.
"In order for the municipality to pay its share, the municipality also had to take a loan, because such millions in the municipality's budget are simply not lying around," said Puks. In addition about 20 million euros were needed to replace the tram cars.
