Criticized the proposed changes in the neighborhood

A group of residents in Hlíðan protests the proposed changes to the street plan in the neighborhood. The residents of the neighborhood say the proposed changes are poorly considered, increase the risk of accidents, costly and made without actual consultation with the population. They call for a conversation with the city, but it has been difficult to reach the city authorities.

Among the changes in the changes are to establish parallel parking spaces on both sides of the streets instead of the current space. Residents of the neighborhood fear that this will lead to a reduction in parking spaces in the street by 30%, and they will lead to further risk of accidents in the neighborhood.

The city’s proposal does not allow for a reduction in parking spaces in the neighborhood.

Utilize renewal pipes in the changes

In report As the Office of Transport and City Design sent the city’s Environment and Planning Council on the changes, Veitur is aiming for the renewal of pipelines in the slopes in the coming years, which call for a disaster on the surface of the streets in the neighborhood.

« It is therefore an opportunity to review the implementation of the streets based on their given experience and their role, » says the analysis.

Construction of the renewal of the pipes is to begin this year in Långuhlíð and Drápuhlíð, while the other streets of the neighborhood will be taken over in the coming years. Drápuhlíð is a single street and it is used as an example of how construction will be on other single streets in the neighborhood.

Says implementation in defiance of the city’s goals

Jón Finnbogason, resident of Hlíðan, stands for signature where the changes are objected to. At the time of writing, about four hundred people have signed the list.

« The stated goal is to increase traffic safety, but our streets already have a very good accident register. There have been no accidents on people in these streets in recent years, and therefore these main prerequisites for the changes are not in place.

In fact, the ideas indicate that security decreases. The strength of the streets reduces the visual field of road users and creates increased risk, especially for children and other sensitive groups, ”says the signature list, among other things.

In a conversation with mbl.is, Jón says that at the end of last year, the residents of the neighborhood were sent a survey from the city where they were given the opportunity to choose between two options for the proposed changes to the lonely streets in the neighborhood. Both proposals were about turning existing car parks into the parking lot parallel to the driving direction.

Residents, however, criticize why there was no option in choosing unchanged arrangements.

Call for a conversation

Jon says that following the survey, there was a lot of discussion on Hlida’s neighborhood page on Facebook, where a group of people, who were critical of the changes, decided to meet and discuss.

They have repeatedly tried to contact the city authorities to increase conversation and express their views but without success.

Wishing them to hear better what the city’s arguments for the changes are and they want to express their views.