By Agnė Baltrūnaitė, LRT.lt.

When Vilnius first began redesigning its streets, the move sparked a heated debate. Discussions of street narrowing dominated election campaigns and polarised political opponents. Today, however, the number of redesigned streets continues to grow. Experts interviewed by LRT.lt agree that as cities expand, streets must be adapted to residents’ needs while ensuring alternative ways of getting around.

Streets as more than traffic corridors
“As urbanists, we always start from the principle that streets are the city’s main public space. If you added together the total area of squares, courtyards and parks, it would still be less than the space taken up by streets. This means that streets hold much of the city’s untapped cultural, economic and social potential,” urban planner Martynas Marozas told LRT.lt.

Architect Michiel van Driessche, founder of Felixx Landscape Architects in Groningen, stresses that with growing urban populations, redesigning streets is essential: “We build more densely to bring people closer together. But homes alone are not enough – residents need places to walk, sit, exercise and meet.”

Reducing traffic lanes and parking, he says, only works if alternatives are provided: “Before restricting cars, you must first ensure strong public transport and cycling infrastructure. Otherwise, residents may resist the change.”

Although Lithuanian cities have only recently begun redesigning their streets around residents’ needs, some cities abroad have a long tradition of “humanising” streets. “Groningen was one of the first cities where car traffic in the centre was restricted as early as the 1960s, with some streets transformed into public spaces,” said Van Driessche.

Read more: LRT.LT