Sustainable, safe and accessible bike and pedestrian routes

Summary

The cities of Portoferraio and Rio were built centuries ago. Their historic areas have many architectural barriers and no safe pedestrian or cycle routes. Therefore, several interventions were made in order to allow residents and tourists to walk freely and safely and, at the same time, encourage them to move around more sustainably.

Implementing sustainable mobility

Objective

This measure aims to increase the overall level of urban accessibility, mobility and safety for pedestrian and cyclists by building cycle and pedestrian paths; these should also be suitable for people with reduced mobility. These interventions are also meant to encourage walking and cycling as sustainable ways of travelling in urban areas.

Progress

During the meetings organised in 2017 to lay the foundations for the drafting of Elba’s SUMP, citizens and relevant stakeholders stressed the importance of encouraging soft mobility in urban and extra-urban areas. This paved the way for the two municipalities to plan and design specific interventions on the most frequented urban places.

In Portoferraio, new pavements were installed near the historic entrances to the city, whilst other urban areas were partially pedestrianised and equipped with ramps. Other infrastructure was created alongside the touristic port that aimed to better separate pedestrian routes from vehicular traffic. In addition, renovation works were carried out on the ancient and scenic coastal pedestrian route “Cammino della Rada”.

In Rio, extensive work has been carried out in the historical centre and port area to eliminate any architectural barriers derived from the ancient stairways found there. The work includes the installation of different types of walkways and ramps, suitable for both people with reduced mobility and cyclists. Moreover, safety along the promenade on the coastal road connecting Rio to Cavo – one of the most touristic locations of in the area – was improved.

Connection to other measures

Enhancing accessibility and safety for pedestrians and cyclists in urban areas is deeply connected with other complementary measures, such as the installation of new and safer road crossings on dangerous urban streets. These interventions are also foreseen within the Elba SUMP as ways to promote sustainable mobility on Elba Island.

Outcomes

Improved accessibility and safety
Interviews given by residents and tourists showed general satisfaction with the implemented measure.

Elimination of architectural barriers
Both cities have become more accessible thanks to the elimination of architectural barriers at strategic points of the urban road circulation.