site.btaDanish Urban Designer Jan Gehl's Urban Planning Report on Sofia Provides for More Pedestrian Space, Bicycle Lanes

Danish Urban Designer Jan Gehl's Urban Planning Report on Sofia Provides for More Pedestrian Space, Bicycle Lanes

Sofia, October 4 (BTA) - An urban environment report on Sofia, drafted by Danish architect and urban designer Jan Gehl, provides for extending bicycle lanes and pedestrian space, said here at a Wednesday news conference Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova.

She recalled that Gehl, who is an expert at offering urban pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly designs, was invited a year ago by Sofia Municipality to help with planning the work on turning the Bulgarian capital into a green city.

Fandakova explained that some of the measures and solutions to the problem with accessibility are already underway. She added that Gehl's report will become a programme for facilitating traffic, improving the connections between parks and shaping public space. According to her, work on the project will span over more than one mayoral term.

Sofia's Mayor said that the report points out some big challenges, such as changing the urban life, extending and organizing pedestrian zones, introducing a quiet zone. According to her, the hardest task outlined in the report pertains to the bicycle lanes network in Sofia, connecting the existing ones and extending them to the city centre. This, however, is met with resistance by the drivers, she added.

There are four main points included in the report, prepared by the famous Danish urban designer, said Sofia's Chief Architect Zdravko Zdravkov. The first one pertains to urban identity and improving pedestrian and transport links with the Vitosha mountain. The second one is about improving the means of transportation by extending the pedestrian network, public transport, bicycle lanes and pedestrian zones. The third aspect will focus on systems of interconnected pedestrian routes and areas, which are also linked to parks and public areas.

Improving and shaping the exterior appearance of buildings is also among the important recommendations which will be addressed, Zdravkov further said, adding that implementing all these measures will help conduct Sofia's urban planning correctly.