Riga has a unique opportunity to develop public water transport — a navigable Daugava runs through the city, along with canals and connected lakes. However, as Maris Sprindžuks, Deputy Chairman of the Riga City Council, admits, water transport has not been established: there are no docks, no routes, and no plan B.
In the context of public transport, Riga has big plans — both for the suburbs and for the potential development of public water transport. For example, could one travel from Bolderāja to Kekava along the Daugava by boat, instead of transferring between several buses? This topic was discussed in the TV24 program "Ziņu TOP" by Maris Sprindžuks, Deputy Chairman of the Riga City Council for Urban Development and the Riga Metropolis.
He acknowledged that Riga is indeed in a unique situation, as a navigable river runs through the city, along with numerous canals and connected lakes.
However, according to Sprindžuks, such a water transport system has not yet been established in practice — the city does not even have any docks. "This plan is simply not developing, and at the same time, everyone is stuck in traffic on four bridges that need to be repaired from time to time. During these repairs, the traffic jams will be even bigger and longer. We have no alternatives, no plan B," the politician noted.
He also emphasized the paradox: geographically close areas, such as Bolderāja and Vecmīlgrāvis, located just a few kilometers apart, can only be traversed in an hour and a half to two hours of travel.
