Duma debates this week revolved around the notorious scandal in the historic district of Grizinkalns – over 3,000 citizens signed a petition against the reorganization of traffic, which includes the elimination of parking spaces, the installation of small "20" signs, and, most wonderfully, the so-called modal filter. That is, a concrete block that blocked Varna Street!
Kristaps Kauliņš, the Director of the Department of Environmental and Mobility, explained: "The issue will not be considered substantively today." That is, the appeal has been taken into account. There were no measurements of traffic intensity. There is only a concept: less transit traffic.
Vyacheslav Makarov, the initiator of the collective statement, emphasized that according to a survey of locals, more than 80% of the population of Grizinkalns is against it. "Some ideas are good," the activist noted. But alongside this, the "shortest bike path in the world" is being constructed in the area.
Residents of Varna Street, in turn, now require a detour – three times longer (and what about the carbon footprint, dear 'progressives'?). The opinion of the Fire and Rescue Department is that blocking the street hinders emergency response vehicles.
On Alauksta Street, there were previously more than one hundred and fifty parking spaces, but now there are five times fewer. Cars are being pushed into courtyards, creating access problems for utility vehicles, which, by the way, recently led to the death of an elderly Riga woman in Purvciems.
Meanwhile, judging by K. Kauliņš's responses, it will take six months to understand what is happening with traffic flows in Grizinkalns. That is, at best, by the beginning of next winter, the "innovative" solutions may be removed. In general, the director admitted, his department constantly receives complaints from Riga residents about the state of the roads. For example, the street Pernavas is being repaired in the direction of 1905 Park, and potholes are being patched...
In my speech, I wanted to remind about the old proletarian district, where industrial enterprises such as "Sputnik," "Rigas Filcs," and "June 17" existed back in the mid-1980s. Unfortunately, the district is gradually degrading now, the indigenous population is decreasing, and hipster millennials are moving into the apartments, one of whom, Marta Kotello, currently heads the RD Committee on Communication and Transport from the 'Progressives'.
By the way, the society founded by her in the outskirts of Grizinkalns lost a lawsuit last month against basketball activist Raimonds Elbakjans with his Ghetto Games, which they intended to ban.
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