Tartu plans extensive rethinking of street space
Tartu City Government Press Release
/ The aim of the regeneration of the City Centre area is to improve local living conditions and road safety, and to create a network of cycle tracks separated from cars.
The City of Tartu is also inviting local residents to have their say on changes to the urban space. Together, they will look for solutions to renovate Riga, Tähe, Kastani, and Õnne streets, and build cycle tracks on them.
On 13 November at 18.00, a public discussion on the renewal of Riia Street will take place in the hall of the Tartu Nature House (https://fb.me/e/1xCbdSqtZ). On 15 November at 18.00, the renewal of Kastani and Õnne streets will be discussed in the hall of the Tartu Nature House (https://fb.me/e/2Y3fMZ6d7). The future of Tähe Street will be discussed in the Hall of Love, in the Aparaaditehas, on 28 November at 18.00 (https://fb.me/e/gE3jAgYjC).
Deputy Mayor of Tartu Raimond Tamm said that in the near future Tartu will become a city where the street is not only a transport corridor but a natural part of a safe urban space. ‘On the sections undergoing renovation, we will build separated lanes for both cyclists and pedestrians to increase road safety. On the busiest streets, cyclists will no longer have to ride between cars or even pedestrians,’ said Tamm.
The City of Tartu plans to reduce noise and dust from vehicles in the city centre area to improve living conditions. This can be done, for example, by narrowing lanes and reducing speeds. To ensure safety and create better mobility options, cycle tracks will be built completely separate from both carriageways and pedestrians. As much space as possible will be made available for landscaping and also for bringing culture and cafés to the street. ‘Streets that receive a facelift will be healthier to live on, more profitable to provide services on, and more pleasant to spend time on, said Jiri Tintera, the city architect of Tartu.
At the moment, draft plans are being prepared for the streets, and the city and designers are waiting for feedback from local residents. The rethinking of the urban space will go hand in hand with the construction of the first phase of the cycle track network, which will begin in 2024, and over a period of four years will see the development of people-centred streets with a network of cycle tracks linking different parts of the city. The planned network includes Vabaduse pst, Turu, Riia, Kastani, Tähe, Õnne, Tähtvere, and Tuglase streets. The same principles will be applied to the construction of the Põhja Avenue breakthrough and the upgrading of Ülikooli Street.
Last changed 27.11.2023
