On Wednesday evening the bulldozers moved in to begin the demolition of the Zogu i Zi overpass. They were back on Thursday evening and, considering how much was still standing on Friday morning when the pictures below were taken, they will be back regularly for a while yet.
The bulldozers are silent during the day when traffic is at its heaviest, but that hasn't prevented a small army of irregular demolition squads from taking their sledgehammers, picks and saws to the remains. One enterprising pair had even brought along a portable generator to run their demolition gear.
The demolition provoked public comment from across the political spectrum. "We're only enforcing the law," said the Prime Minister, Sali Berisha. The Transport Minister, Lulzim Basha responding to calls from the municipality for compensation from the central government, said that the "Tirana Mayor should compensate the capital's citizens."
The Mayor, Edi Rama - who is also Chairman of the opposition Socialist Party - commented: "last night - with the demolition - Sali Berisha showed he is not only an especially incapable person, but even an incorrigible vandal." Ilir Meta, Chairman of the Socialist Movement for Integration - another opposition party - asserted that "the demolition was politically motivated and arbitrary."
A week before demolition began the government had signed an agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a 14.6 million EUR loan that will be used to improve Tirana's roads. Whether that will include the development of an alternative to the project now being demolished is unclear.
The bulldozers are silent during the day when traffic is at its heaviest, but that hasn't prevented a small army of irregular demolition squads from taking their sledgehammers, picks and saws to the remains. One enterprising pair had even brought along a portable generator to run their demolition gear.
The demolition provoked public comment from across the political spectrum. "We're only enforcing the law," said the Prime Minister, Sali Berisha. The Transport Minister, Lulzim Basha responding to calls from the municipality for compensation from the central government, said that the "Tirana Mayor should compensate the capital's citizens."
The Mayor, Edi Rama - who is also Chairman of the opposition Socialist Party - commented: "last night - with the demolition - Sali Berisha showed he is not only an especially incapable person, but even an incorrigible vandal." Ilir Meta, Chairman of the Socialist Movement for Integration - another opposition party - asserted that "the demolition was politically motivated and arbitrary."
A week before demolition began the government had signed an agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a 14.6 million EUR loan that will be used to improve Tirana's roads. Whether that will include the development of an alternative to the project now being demolished is unclear.
Comments
Ll
What a mockery the politcians have made of the poor people's tax money.
http://img345.imageshack.us/img345/3337/zoguizi4ii.jpg
It is sad that the government decided to demolish it. :(
Berisha obviously wanted to show who's the boss of the place; too bad it choose such a needed infrastructure object. Again he's demonstrating his political miopia.
Also, Rama should've tried working with Berisha on this one, rather than be all political and confrontational. Clearly Rama profits politically from this destruction more than anybody else, that's why he never even tried to solve the issue. He is the mayor of Tirana indeed, but he must recognize and respect the central government rather than act as a political leader.
Overpasses are so much more efficient at switching highways.
It will probably take a good 2-3 years to finish that disgusting roundabout anyways. What a shame...
In Albania we have a saying:
"Rrufeja nuk bi n'halé!"
Lightning doesn't strike the crapper!
As much as I would like Berisha to burn in a hellish political fire and never return, I wonder if an overpass that close to the center, in a residental area was a good idea.
Oh, and Its...there are actually "roundabouts" in Norh America. You cannot get to Cape Cod from New York City without driving around in one.
I hate to see that tax money being wasted, for political reasons. Again, not that neccesseraly I would want Berisha dead right this minute.
Just saying that he is a better candidate for hell than Arbnori...
In cities like San Francisco, places close to underpasses are the prefered dealing places for drugg delears.
to ITS:
Many places in the USA are gutting down overpasses, for more aesthetically pleasing runabouts.
you don't need an over pass that close to the city.
Don't make it political. I don't like Berisha either, but I always thought the overpass was just plain ugly.
Good luck with your project.
On the relative merits of overpasses and roundabouts, I'm definitely in the roundabout camp. They are more compact, less expensive, and less visually intrusive.
However, there are two key critieria for roundabouts to work. First is traffic volume. There comes a point where the volume of traffic is too high for roundabouts to work properly.
Second, since roundabouts require a measure of driver discipline and self-restraint in order to function effectively, they may not be ideal for Tirana where those characteristics are in short supply among motorists.
Ll - you can buy me a beer next time you are in Tirana.
Ll.