Daily problems looking for a solution – This is the big bet for the Municipality of Athens
Athens is trying to solve its traffic problem. On Wednesday evening, the Council of the Municipality of Athens approved the municipality’s plan contract with the National Technical University of Athens. The aim is to develop a research program that addresses the problem. Exploring modern, model solutions for both traffic and parking problems.
Through practices followed in major European cities, perfectly adapted to the needs of Athens, the study is called to make a difference. What’s been missing in planning for years. It is called to deal with a big problem experienced by the driver who moves in Athens.
What is required are regulations that radically change the traffic map of the capital. Conditions that make the center of the cityaccessible to all. The initiative is taken by the Municipality of Athens after many years of worsening of the problem. Will a definitive solution finally be given to traffic and parking problems throughout the centre and not just to specific parts of it? The stakes are high.
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The research on Athens aims to explore the modern and “smart” ways in which the traffic burden of the city’s roads will be addressed. The increase of the use of bikes while on the other hand, there is a lack of parking space. The increase in the traffic of tourist buses without the appropriate spaces for their temporary parking. The unhindered movement of pedestrians on pedestrian streets and sidewalks without the existence of parked vehicles.
“Such a major problem cannot be solved fragmentarily, not even by changing the direction of traffic. Structural solutions that will radically our culture and the way we move around the city are needed”said Kostas Bakoyannis.
“We want the centre of Athens not to be a nightmare for the resident and the visitor. We seek to turn it into a fully accessible, useful and utilitarian place. We try to give everyday life the necessary value and the quality of life that we all need”, added the Mayor of Athens.
The cooperation with the National Technical University of Athens is part of the network of initiatives undertaken by the Municipality for a comprehensive solution with environmentally friendly methods and for the use of new technologies to achieve the goal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Municipality of Athens approved a plan contract with the National Technical University of Athens to develop a comprehensive research program addressing traffic and parking issues. The study explores modern, smart solutions adapted from major European cities to create structural changes in how residents and visitors move through the capital.
The key problems include lack of parking space, increased traffic from tourist buses without adequate parking areas, bike usage increase without proper infrastructure, and parked vehicles blocking pedestrian streets and sidewalks. The Municipality aims to tackle these issues comprehensively rather than fragmentarily.
According to Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis, changing traffic direction or implementing partial solutions cannot solve such a major problem. Structural solutions that radically change the culture and way people move around the city are needed to make the center of Athens accessible, useful, and welcoming for both residents and visitors.
The research program will explore modern solutions and best practices followed in major European cities. These practices will be perfectly adapted to the specific needs and characteristics of Athens to ensure their effectiveness in solving the capital's unique traffic challenges.
The Municipality is implementing initiatives that use environmentally friendly methods and new technologies. The goal is to transform Athens' center into a fully accessible, useful place where residents and visitors can enjoy better quality of life, making daily movement through the city more efficient and pleasant rather than a nightmare.
