This autumn in Riga, Kristaps Kauliņš began his work as the new director of the Department of Environment and Mobility of the Riga City Council, having taken office in the second half of September. In the program “900 Seconds” (TV3), he acknowledged that the condition of the streets and sidewalks in the capital remains problematic.
“In Riga, facilities outside the main infrastructure are in such poor condition that even simple hygiene improvements seem like a major event,” he noted, citing the temporary pedestrian crossing on January 13th Street as a positive, yet still rare example.
He added that he often travels by public transport and bicycle to “experience firsthand what the city looks like from the perspective of its residents.”
One of Kauliņš's priorities is the future of urban tunnels. According to him, “tunnels in the modern urban environment are obstacles and do not meet the standards of the 21st century.” Therefore, the Riga City Council will be looking for new solutions for their use — for example, adapting them for civil defense needs or creating bicycle parking.
The scanning of all streets using artificial intelligence technology continues, to assess the quality of the pavement once a year and determine where repairs are needed.
In preparation for winter, Kauliņš emphasized that the services are already at a high level of readiness. “They will probably never be fully ready, but at the moment, contractors have prepared the equipment, and the equipment available to the city is also equipped with winter gear,” he explained.
According to him, this year the maintenance of streets and sidewalks will be carried out as in previous years, but the main goal is to ensure the safety of Riga residents during the winter months and the functionality of the city in any weather conditions.
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