Regenerating Athens City Center to a Low Pollution and Restricted Vehicle Traffic Zone

Abstract

Traffic congestion, abandonment and devastation of buildings and public spaces in Athens city center form a troubled urban landscape in the heart of the metropolitan capital. Daily users, residents, employees, visitors desire the quality upgrading of public space through environmental upgrading and sustainable mobility, and the promotion of the international metropolitan character of the city. A strategy for reshaping the character and function of the historic Athenian triangle is proposed, aiming at its environmental and sustainable development through feasible, meaningful and non-landscaping solutions of low cost and high positive impact. Sustainable mobility is the main principle of re-planning the study area, while the main strategy is to transform the historic triangle of Athens into a “Low Pollution and Limited Vehicle Traffic Zone”. The proposed measures include the development of pedestrian mobility networks by expanding the pedestrian paths and slow traffic routes, bicycle networks based on the approved Metropolitan Bicycle Route of Athens while a methodology for enhancing public transportation networks with new lines of electric mini-buses is developed in the study area. Complementary actions are proposed through the provision of Wi-Fi on public transports, development of applications that facilitate combined travel and provide real-time data, integration of personal mobility (roller skates, scooters, hoverboard) and enhancement of their use as flexible modes of personal mobility combined with the car-sharing, ride-sharing and dynamic carpooling initiatives.