Bielany residents protest the city’s planned temporary traffic reorganization around Galeria Młociny, aimed at easing weekend congestion that has plagued the area since October 2025.
Weekend Congestion Returns
Heavy traffic jams on the outskirts of Galeria Młociny reappear each weekend, notably during holiday periods, crippling exits from the underground parking and surrounding streets. Drivers have reported multi‑hour bottlenecks that can halt movement for extended periods.
Root Causes Identified
Issues accumulate most on Saturdays and Sundays when passenger traffic peaks. The intersection of ul. Zgrupowania AK “Kampinos” with al. gen. Marii Wittek, along with access to the parking garage, often become stalled simultaneously from several directions.
Traffic Signal Issues
In October 2025, heavy congestion was partly blamed on new traffic light settings at the Książąt Mazowieckich intersection. The municipal office noted that “clogs arise from activating the signal at Książąt Mazowieckich,” while the Department of City Roads countered that the lights worked fine the preceding day and were later deactivated after an optimal control proposal was announced.
Past Mitigation Efforts
End‑of‑year reports described signal parameters that in practice reduced throughput, with short green phases and long waits for the next cycle. Temporary measures were also introduced by the mall to streamline parking access and turn‑off points.
2025 Paralysis Incidents
The year saw at least two “complete traffic shutdowns” near the mall, on 11 October and 10 November, with drivers trapped for three to four hours. These episodes intensified public frustration over the area’s traffic management.
New Temporary Road Plan
From 18 December 2024 to 18 February 2026, a temporary traffic arrangement will divert vehicles around the mall to ease exits. The plan removes left turns from ul. Zgrupowania AK “Kampinos” onto ul. Książąt Mazowieckich, routing instead northbound traffic to the next intersection at ul. Kolumbijską for turning. Priority will be given to vehicles moving along ul. Zgrupowania AK “Kampinos”.
Community Opposition
The proposal faces backlash from nearby residents who fear increased car flow onto narrow local streets, a concern echoed by Bielany’s mayor. Despite the project’s intention to increase throughput and reduce congestion at the mall’s exit, worries about safety and neighborhood disruption persist.
