Post-Covid Cities – Lausanne makes way for bikes and terraces

Cindy Mendicino

Updated 4 minutes ago—

Lausanne moves, but wants tranquility. The City is shaking up its mobility to face the post-Covid. The authorities are announcing a long series of measures to modify public spaces to allow for smooth travel and safer strolling. Boosted by political, popular and scientific demands, elected officials Florence Germond (PS) and Pierre-Antoine Hildbrand (PLR) present a reshaping of their city. Overview.

7.5 km of cycle paths

Each year, Lausanne traces about 3 yellow paint km of network for bikes. This June is 7.5 km of strip that will appear on the asphalt. “We know that one in two Swiss people has a bike in their cellar, recalls the municipal finance and mobility, Florence Germond. But people often say its don’t do it because they don’t feel safe. We are far behind in this area in Switzerland romand. The period we are living in allows us to remedy this more quickly.“

Traffic figures in Lausanne show that travels are generally still less numerous than before. The massive fall in the use of public transport and a record increase in car use tend to continue, but in more modest proportions. The bike is experiencing stagnation or even a very slight increase, which should therefore be boosted by new developments.

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Well-known arteries will thus be secured: avenues of Provence, de-la-Harpe, Mon Repos, France, streets of Geneva, Saint-Martin… All of which can be quickly laid out and designed to last. “The canton currently allows streamlined procedures, says Florence Germond. We can move quickly and take advantage of this legitimacy. But we will have to go through the classic path afterwards when we wants perpetuate the installations.“

New products are also tested. Some bicycle lanes will be traced, along the parking lots, at the back of the cars, sides passengers. History of reducing the risks relating to door openings.

It is on the parking spaces that the authorities intend to take the necessary space. Scooter parking included, 335 places will disappearat all over the city. Out of a total of 21 000. AT note that a hundred of – they focusnt in the Plaines-du-Loup sector exclusively. “There, the occupancy rate is 1 in 2, relativizes Florence Germond. And we see that everywhere: often the parking lot is under-occupied. There are enough places, it is a question of better organizing the space.“

A hundred enlarged terraces

The announcement had delighted many bistros, it is coming to fruition and its scale is now known. Since the beginning of May, 175 have asked to be able to spread more chairs and tables in front of their establishment. And 107 have already received their authorization. The measurement is free and provisional until 31 October. “We have all summer to assess the consequences of these new configurations, especially for local residents and businesses, notes Pierre-Antoine Hildbrand, Lausanne’s municipal economy. No one doubts, however, that many of these developments will continue.“

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AT note that 25% of the terraces enlarged crop parking, which represents forty places.

Lift the foot

The ever-increasing demands for noise abatement policies, but also for busy streets and the need to make room for terracesssThey give ideas to the authorities. They are launching a major approach to moderating automobile speed. Several sectors will thus pass into zone 30. Others, already on this regime, will descend to 20, in other words meeting zone, where absolute priority is given to pedestrians. This will, for example, be the case at rue de la Grotte, at the top of Marterey, part of the Simplon, rue Beau-Séjour or even avenue Montbenon. In total, 17 streets change authorized speed.

Rue Pépinet also goes to 20 km /h with priority to bipeds. All of the parking spaces on the right on the way up pass through to the teacherit a bike track. A route often requested by cyclists, if not blocked on the street VSenter when you want to go upstairs to Saint-François.

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Six sectors under the microscope

As we can see, it is time to test new developments. Lausanne therefore takes the opportunity to delimit pieces of territory that could be brought to profoundly change in nature. Or to boost processes already underway. AT the Riponne, but also on the side of Benjamin Constant, Viret, de la Grotte and de Grancy, it is in fact the whole of the announced measures which meet, at different intensities. Here and there, traffic slowdowns, new terraces or even facilities intended for passers-by should appear this summer. With, always, the idea of ​​assessing whether a lasting change is possible.

Posted today at 9:06 am-