More than 300 million euros is planned to be invested this season in the construction of street, pedestrian, and cycling infrastructure in Riga, said Kristaps Kauliņš, Director of the Riga Municipality’s Outdoor Space and Mobility Department, at a press conference on Wednesday.
He explained that this amount includes both projects started previously, whose completion is planned for this year, as well as projects that will be launched this year.
Among the projects, it is planned to complete the fourth stage of the Southern Bridge, as well as the Zemitāni and Kundziņsala transport overpasses. Meanwhile, projects for the Vanšu Bridge, the Gaisa Bridge, and the Altonava Street overpass are planned to begin.
Kauliņš informed that, in total, work will take place at more than 200 sites this year. This includes the construction of three cycling routes — from Imanta to Piņķi, from Pļavnieki to Ropaži Municipality, and along Mūkusalas Street towards Ķekava. Improvements to pedestrian infrastructure, asphalt resurfacing, and double surface treatment on lower-category streets will also be carried out.
Riga City Council Chairman Viesturs Kleinbergs (P) said at the press conference that
active construction works in Riga will begin as soon as air temperatures stabilise.
Kleinbergs acknowledged that a major challenge this construction season will be rising costs linked to increasing oil prices. He explained that some construction contracts already include cost indexation, while solutions will be sought for others.
Meanwhile, Chair of the Riga City Council’s Transport and Traffic Committee Marta Kotello (P) stressed that in every project, attention will be paid to ensuring well-considered safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Kotello said that an additional 2 million euros has been allocated in Riga’s budget this year specifically to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
She also noted that at least 30 new pedestrian crossings are planned to be created in Riga this year, while improvements are planned for several existing crossings. Traffic calming measures will also be implemented, and road safety near several schools is set to be improved.
It has already been reported that construction works on the fourth stage of the Southern Bridge, worth 122.7 million euros, are currently underway in Riga and are expected to be completed in 2027. The project “Construction of Jānis Čakste Avenue” is divided into two stages. The first stage will involve building the section from Valdeķu Street to Ziepniekkalns Street, while the second stage will cover the section from Vienības Avenue to Valdeķu Street.
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