The tram, Traffic and public transport | “Upgrade the tram tracks, but just not in my street”

Opinions This is a debate post. The post expresses the writer’s views.

The news that the tram route in the Pilestredet must be temporarily relocated due to the necessary upgrading of pipes and tram tracks, was met by a joint call from the neighbors in Josefinesgate. The temporary tram route will be laid there.

They thunder against the project and believe that it will seriously degrade one of Oslo’s finest streets. The list of concerns is long: everything from natural impact, noise, settlement damage, traffic safety, delivery of goods (?) and they also have major concerns about how much this is going to cost.

also read

The tram news came like “lightning from the blue”. Then the neighbors got unexpected help

This is classic NIMBY – not in my back yard. It is a term used for people who oppose changes in their neighborhood, even if they are not against the changes themselves. They are often necessary and of a socially important nature. But they don’t want that to happen in their particular neighbourhood.

In this case, the neighbors are probably not against the worn-out tram tracks in Pilestredet being upgraded; they just don’t want the temporary route laid right in their street.

Columnist: Magnus Ravlo Stokke

Magnus Ravlo Stokke (43) writes about architecture, city life and everyday life in Avisa Oslo. Stokke studies architecture at AHO and lives in an apartment in an apartment building from 1892 in Bislett/Fagerborg. He is married and has four boys aged 3-14.

Preferred means of transport: E-bike with long child seat in everyday life, and a Volvo XC90 when I go to Thaugland to buy materials.

Can most often be found at the bar Rouleur, in the middle of the intersection on St Hanshaugen. We got married here. Oslo’s best place for a beer, summer and winter.

Here I am never: SATS. My workout is 10 pushups every morning.

Oslo’s finest building is Kunstnernes Hus. Obvious qualities both outside, inside and in its surroundings, and so rich in more subtle details and architectural craftsmanship. (The only minus is that it is poorly adapted for wheelchair users.)

Oslo is at its best when you are cycling without your hands on the handlebars on your way to something pleasant at the beginning of May.

Leave the “No Trikk In My Back Yard” campaign behind

The tram is in my opinion, the best public transport option above ground in a city, and that it is constantly being upgraded, both lines, stops, price models for tickets, apps, facilitating everyone to be able to use it, is a fantastic thing for the city.

Then I think you have to put up with the tram rolling quietly by outside for a few months. In fact, I think Josefine’s street can be experienced as more traffic-safe during the period, because it becomes less tempting for all the Porsche owners in the street to put their brakes on when they pass Barberer Kaare Korperud by Bislett.

also read

Pilestret is to be excavated – the trams are to be moved here

I would like to let the tram run in my street, Rosenborggata at the top of Norabakken, but I think the tram will unfortunately wear up the hill past Fagerborg church.

We neighborhood neighbors would rather meet and take the tram down Pilestredet on newly laid rails next summer and take a dip and an outdoor beer and toast that we are lucky to live in the middle of the world’s best city, and thank that someone took one for the team and survived the noise and inconveniences during the construction period.

Read more comments, debate entries and Oslo stories on Avisa Oslo’s debate page Oslodebatten