Liberec launches 73 million CZK rebuild of Tržní Square to ease traffic

The city of Liberec has begun a reconstruction of Tržní Square, a project valued at about 73 million Czech crowns to be carried out by Metrostav. The work, expected to last over a year, will remodel the square and adjacent streets, adding new trees, seating, children’s play elements and relocating the historic fountain. It also redesigns traffic flow on surrounding intersections, aiming to improve safety for the roughly 12 000 vehicles that pass daily. City officials cite nearly a hundred accidents over the past two decades as a key reason for the upgrade, though local critics argue the numbers have been exaggerated. The plan has faced opposition from some residents who value the square’s original 1980s design and view the cost as excessive. Mayor Jaroslav Zámečník and Deputy Mayor Jiří Janďourek presented the project as a means to calm traffic and modernise the urban space.