Iasi (Romania)
With a population of 366,000 and an area of 93.9 km² the city of Iasi in the north-east of Romania is the country’s second biggest city after Bucharest. Iasi wants to get its large student population to make more use of public transport and cycling.
Iasi is one of the oldest cities in Romania and has a strong cultural identity. It is the centre of a metropolitan area that occupies 787.87 km² and is home to 398,000 inhabitants. It is also one of the largest cities at the eastern border of the European Union. Iasi is the second largest academic centre in Romania with eight universities and about 60,000 students. The city seeks to become a place for recreation and relaxation for all citizens in the region. It also aims to offer business opportunities as a regional hub for knowledge.
Iasi implemented its sustainable socio-economic development strategy in 2007, and developed an integrated development plan starting from 2009. The mobility demand in Iasi is particularly high in the part of the centre where the universities are located, as well as many kindergartens and schools with approximately 10,000 pupils.
The city’s objectives within CIVITAS ARCHIMEDES especially target improvements in the public transport system in line with the city’s strategic plans. Activities towards collective transport and intermodal integration will comprise improved ticketing offers including contactless cards and special fares for students and pupils. Better public transport information at bus stops will show routes and waiting times in real time. The city will also give priority to buses through a traffic light system and separate priority routes for public transport vehicles. Moreover, 30 buses will run on liquefied bio-methane. Other vehicles will operate on second generation biofuels for which the city will introduce fuelling infrastructure. Iasi estimates that these improvements as well as new provisions for cycling will increase the number of users by 20 percent.
