Integrated planning: a new vision of mobility for Trieste

Tuesday 6 February 2018

As part of CIVITAS PORTIS, Trieste is rethinking how mobility in the Italian port city works, and the public is set to play a key role in shaping what happens.

“Integration" is the word that defines planning in the city’s living lab area: it describes both the approach being adopted and the interconnected nature of measures within the PORTIS project.

In December 2017, the process to develop a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) in the city began: a public tender was launched to find an organisation to lead the SUMP planning process.

As part of the SUMP, Trieste’s Old Port area will be incorporated into the mobility strategy that currently covers the city centre and New Port area. This will also involve the identification of intermodal transport solutions to connect port areas with the hinterland.

To determine these, an extensive consultation will be conducted with both citizens and other relevant stakeholders. Such a participatory approach is fundamental to SUMP planning in Trieste.

Regular meetings, consultations, and open public discussions will ensure that people from all manner of social groups and backgrounds have the opportunity to suggest ideas, comment on SUMP-related proposals, and ultimately contribute to their city’s urban development.

New information technology systems will inform users in real time about traffic conditions and the status of local public transport services. This will be facilitated by a new information platform that incorporates all existing transport-related information systems.

The platform will be linked to an integrating parking management system which will guide users to free parking spaces in the city centre. Operated via an app, this should help to cut congestion significantly. Another app is also being created to help tourists navigate the city by providing them with information on public transport connections and routes.

The SUMP and its associated measures will help transform Trieste into a city driven by sustainable mobility, and the public will sit at the heart of this process.

To find about CIVITAS PORTIS, visit here.

Photo credit: Marino Sterle

Author: Barbara Delbello