Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan of the wider center of the Municipality of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki

Modern cities are one of the main gateways to innovation and economic development. The abundance of employment opportunities and as services are the main advantages that attract the largest part of the population to big metropoleis. In order to meet the increased demands for residential and commercial space, urban bounds are often expanded in a methodical way (urban sprawl), especially in the cases of fast-growing cities. This a challenge for the city itself, as it is called upon to manage this phenomenon while at the same time maintaining high levels of quality in its urban transport systems. To begin with, the object of this study is commitment to all the principles of sustainable mobility, taking into account economic, environmental and social criteria. Its main aim is to develop a methodology based on which the current state of mobility in the city will be analysed, including all problems and opportunities. These will be used for the planning of future scenarios concerning mobility in Thessaloniki. The analysis of the existing situation refers to the recording of mobility habits as well as the current policy of parking. This data will be the main axis for defining the objectives of the Plan in a rational and transparent way.

Information

The main objectives of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan are:

Identify the capability that existing road infrastructures have, with the aim of best possible capitalization
Complely identify any inaccessible points in the city, so as to prioritize the facilitation of accessibility by creating an integrated network of accessible sidewalks and bike paths, as well as the management of parking and the deterrence of illegal parking.
Identify public transport and taxi service points.
Dealing with on-street and off-street parking problems, establishing a fair pricing parking policy and finding alternative parking and transfer solutions around the wider city center.
Ensuring the connection, via means of public transport, of the center of Thessaloniki with the suburban bus/railway stations, the Port and the Airport. The above objective will agree with local development policies, given that the commercial and historical center of the city is also a tourist destination.
The satisfaction of local development policies, given the fact that the study area includes the commercial center of the city as well as a fairly large part of the historic center, and also tourist destinations and points of connection with the port and the railway station.
The determination and arrangement of special allocated parking spaces, including spaces for short-term parking of tourist buses, taxis, etc.

Study area

The study area is divided into two areas, the Core Study Area, which is characterized by the center of the city of Thessaloniki, and the Zone of Influence of the city center.

The Main Study Area, according to the most recent Revision Study of the General Urban Plan, includes the following areas S1: Aristotelous, S2: Lefkos Pyrgos, S3: Kamara-Rotonda, S4: Diokitirio and M1. Specifically, it is defined by these streets: Democracy Sq. – Irinis st. – Arkadioupoleos st. – Claudianou st. – Aurelianis st. – Moushoundi Sq. – Olympiados st. – Vizyinou st. – Formerly Vyzoukidou st. – Teloglou st. – Agiou Dimitriou st. – St. Kyriakidis st. – Ag. Dimitriou st.-Plethonos Gemistou st.- Tzovaropoulou st.- Kaftanzoglou st.- Edison st.- Nea Paralia of Thessaloniki and Palia Paralia of Thessaloniki-Koundouriotou st.-Navarchou.Votsi st.-Averof st.-Axiou st.-Koundouriotou st.-26is Octovriou st.-Democracy Sq.. The total area is 3.7 sq.km.