Traffic and public transport, Greenland | This time, “car-free” Greenland should become permanent

As a rule, I pass Greenland twice a day, at the latest this morning and this afternoon. The stretch of Lakkegata and Tøyenbekken is a vital part of the main thoroughfare for us going to the center or back home to Kampen. Usually on a scooter or on foot. And, almost, never again by car.

I became happy bordering on bliss when these quarters became car-free – as a test project – last summer. It felt much safer to travel there. It seemed natural and reasonable. The shops and nightclubs moved out into the street. Folk life flourished. And the flower beds were filled. There were seats and trees. At the same time, it connected well with Grønland square.

An oasis

Perhaps the busiest area in the entire district was transformed into an oasis with very simple measures. A long-standing favorite like Punjab Tandoori gained access to a large area for outdoor dining. Good for business. And good for people who needed a bite to eat. The noise was greatly reduced.

And of course the car traffic gone. But the most problematic aspect of the traffic situation is not necessarily car traffic in isolation. What creates dangerous situations for cyclists and scooter riders is that it is allowed to park on both sides of the street for almost the entire stretch. One of the most used cycle lanes in the entire city is located between the car parks and the road itself. On the way to work in the morning, the cycle lane is often full. At the traffic lights, you stand in a queue.

Car door opens

You can always risk a car door opening when you least expect it. Or that a car wants to leave the parking lot without turning on its indicators. During the busiest hours of the day, the area often appears chaotic. And as there is an abundance of shops and restaurants on both sides of the road, there is a steady stream of pedestrians crossing the street without using the pedestrian crossing.

– A car-free street in Greenland was hugely popular last year. Now we repeat the success. It’s good news for everyone who lives, travels and runs a business in Greenland, said Sirin Stav, city councilor for the environment and transport (MDG).

According to the municipality, the closure last year resulted in a reduction in traffic of over 80 per cent. That says a lot.

A more negative experience from last year is that traffic increased in some of the side streets. The municipality has therefore changed the driving pattern in some of these streets. Development will be followed closely and corrections will be made if necessary. Let’s hope this works. The project is part of the municipality’s vision of a car-free city life. The latter involves, among other things, creating a better urban environment and increased urban life in the city centre. The project has a price tag of 50 million.

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Now the street is closed to car traffic: – Always a winner

Adventure bridge’s trip

In June last year, in addition to gata Grønland, Kirkegata in Kvadraturen was also closed to car traffic. This year, Torshovgata, Søndregate and Eventyrbrua are also streets where car traffic will be closed, or significantly reduced.

Oslo needs even more initiatives like this!