The authorities in Ogre have conceived a large-scale project — an overhead pedestrian bridge that is supposed to connect three educational institutions between which children frequently move.
However, is this really the best solution? This was explored in the show "Zebra" (TV3).
There are disagreements in the city council about whether a pedestrian bridge is needed between Ogre Primary School, the music school, and the library, next to which is also Ogre Gymnasium.
As Ogre Mayor Andrijs Gauja explained, the idea arose after a survey of students at the Riga Technical University on how to improve traffic flow in the city. The conclusion was that a pedestrian bridge should be built.
Currently, a competition for sketch projects has been announced. The cost of the project could amount to several million euros, and some council members, including Karlis Ansons, doubt that this is the best way to spend funds.
The host of "Zebra," Paul Timrots, notes that while various pedestrian bridges exist only on paper and everyone likes them, practice shows that pedestrians are reluctant to use either underground passages or overhead bridges.
As an argument in favor of the project, Gauja cites the inconveniences for parents who drop off and pick up children at educational institutions. In his opinion, dropping off children at the overpass could ease the situation and reduce traffic jams.
However, opponents believe that safety can be improved in a much cheaper way — by equipping a regulated pedestrian crossing with markings and possibly a raised platform. Ansons points out that an overhead bridge might simplify pedestrian movement but will not solve the traffic jam problem.
The current situation also raises the question: if there is such traffic congestion in the center of Ogre, perhaps it is worth considering how to reduce the flow of cars in the city center.
A pedestrian bridge could solve the problem of children moving between educational institutions, but not the issue of their drop-off and pick-up in the evening. In this situation, "Zebra" suggests creating a roundabout on the surrounding streets with the possibility of dropping off children at the school. Furthermore, it is not a fact that children need to move regularly between these educational institutions.
The Mayor of Ogre noted that a decision has only been made to create a commission that will develop the regulations for the sketch competition. After that, solutions will be evaluated and residents will be involved, as this concerns public urban space.
