Islands of safety, roundabouts and "Berlin cushions" - innovations are being introduced in traffic in Polotsk
The "Green Cities" project has been running since 2016. It aims to improve the environment, implement energy-efficient street lighting, and carry out initiatives to enhance urban mobility. In the year the project started, the first bicycle lane on a roadway in Belarus was created in Polotsk along F. Skorina Avenue. Now, the local route has grown into a cycling network, with separate lanes appearing on other city streets, as well as a bicycle lane on the new Pokrovsky Bridge. Safety islands have been installed at unregulated pedestrian crossings, durable plastic road markings have been applied, and mini-roundabouts and so-called "Berlin cushions" have been introduced. These will reduce the speed of cars and will not impede public transport. The mini-roundabouts are installed in such a way that large vehicles can pass if necessary. Some of these traffic management ideas are being implemented in Belarus for the first time.
Support for public transport will continue with the allocation of special lanes for it. Under the project, several public transport stops have been replaced in Polotsk and Novopolotsk. Smart controllers with GPS sensors have appeared on two streets in the cities, allowing traffic lights to be synchronized to create a "green wave" for vehicles without being tied to a control center. It is also planned to continue installing covered bicycle parking in Polotsk and Novopolotsk.
The project "Belarus: Support for Green Urban Development in Small and Medium-Sized Belarusian Cities" ("Green Cities") is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, with funding from the Global Environment Facility (budget of $3091 thousand). The project is designed for 2016-2021 and aims to develop green urban development plans, as well as support pilot initiatives for sustainable urban transport and energy efficiency improvement in small and medium-sized Belarusian cities.