Traffic congestion in front of the health center and hospital in Gradiška is now a thing of the past

Improved access for patients and smooth emergency transport ensured

January 21, 2025
a man riding on the back seat of a car window
Foto: Sulejman Omerbašić

Improved traffic safety, reduced congestion, and better access for patients and emergency vehicles are among the key benefits achieved through the reconstruction of a section of Kozarskih brigada Street. This street connects the center of Gradiška with the Health Center and Gradiška Hospital.

We are closely linked to each other, with several hundred patients passing through our health facilities daily. The street was in extremely poor condition, full of potholes, so its reconstruction has significantly improved traffic safety and access to our health facilities for all citizens,” said Dr. Slađana Tepavac, Director of the Public Health Institution Health Center Gradiška. She added that traffic jams were a common issue in the area:

a woman sitting at a table

Slađana Tepavac

Foto: Sulejman Omerbašić
“This made it difficult for emergency medical services to operate and for ambulances to get through. Every healthcare worker knows how crucial those first few minutes are in emergencies for saving lives. The street's reconstruction was urgently needed, and we also gained several parking spaces for patients visiting the health center or hospital. Feedback from patients and ambulance drivers has been very positive so far.”
Dr. Slađana Tepavac

Emergency cases arrive on time

Dario Jandrić, an ambulance driver for Emergency Services, said the reconstruction has made access easier, which patients feel directly:

“It’s much more accessible now, and it’s much easier for us to transport patients, especially those with fractures. Before the reconstruction, when we hit a pothole or a bump, patients would feel it, and we would hear their pain. Now, that’s no longer an issue; everything is much better. Congestion has also been reduced, and bus stops have been built on both sides of the street. Previously, when buses, like the one to Orahova, stopped, it was difficult to get through with an ambulance if two cars arrived simultaneously.”
Dario Jandrić

The adaptation of this critical section of Kozarskih brigada Street in Gradiška was carried out through the Project for Improving Performance of Local Services in Bosnia and Herzegovina (PIPLS), funded by Sweden and implemented and co-financed by the United Nations Development Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNDP BiH), with the support of three cantons and 22 local self-government units.

Thanks to the successful implementation of PIPLS project activities, the City Administration of Gradiška received a grant that was used to adapt this section of Kozarskih brigada Street, located in the city center. Previously, the street was in very poor condition, causing congestion, and there was also a sharp curve that has now been straightened. This significantly improved access to public health facilities and emergency intervention routes,” said Bojana Bjelovuk, the PIPLS project coordinator for Gradiška, adding that many interventions were included in the project:

Park expanded, new bicycle and pedestrian paths, additional parking spaces

“A 155-meter-long road section was reconstructed, seven meters wide. Bus stops were built on both sides, along with new lighting and urban furniture. Landscaping was carried out, with over 20 new trees planted in cooperation with the Gradiška Forest Management, which donated most of the saplings, and the Public Utility Company Gradska Čistoća. A bicycle and pedestrian path were built, park space was expanded, and access to the Monument to Fallen Soldiers was improved. We also gained 26 new parking spaces, two of which are reserved for people with disabilities, and 16 ramps for wheelchair access.”
Bojana Bjelovuk
a person standing in front of a bus

Dario Jandrić

Foto: Sulejman Omerbašić
a person standing on a sidewalk

Bojana Bjelovuk

Foto: Sulejman Omerbašić

Mayor Zoran Adžić expressed satisfaction with the work, emphasizing the importance of the intervention for all residents of Gradiška:

a person sitting at a table in front of a computer

Zoran Adžić

Foto: Sulejman Omerbašić
“Through the PIPLS project, we managed to reconstruct a road that is very important for the city center, particularly for access to the Health Center and General Hospital. Thanks to Sweden and UNDP for providing this significant grant, we invested the funds to reconstruct the road, resolve sewage and stormwater drainage, upgrade the water supply network, renovate part of the park, and provide additional parking spaces. This ensures easier access to these services for our citizens and businesses. Additionally, we improved a city district in line with our vision of making Gradiška a small Central European city with all the characteristics of such cities.”
Zoran Adžić

The Project for Improving Performance of Local Services in Bosnia and Herzegovina (PIPLS) aims to improve access to essential public services through better management and increased investment in local infrastructure.