“Unity” – Traffic study: climate neutrality and sustainable urban mobility are the big goals

The period when the traffic study began to be prepared is extremely interesting.

We remind you that the approval of the traffic study to the contractor took place at the end of 2023 by the Economic Committee of the Municipality, with the consequence that the contract will be signed and its preparation will begin at the beginning of 2024.

Obviously the traffic conditions in the city change from year to year and of course with more and more car traffic there is a need to revisit all traffic issues from scratch.

But there are two other important developments to which the traffic study is called upon to provide answers and perspective.

The first concerns the goal of climate neutrality, as it is known that the Municipality of Kozani is included in the 100 European cities that will seek climate neutrality by 2030, but also in the 33 Municipalities that have already received the label from the European Commission. Transportation contributes approximately 25% to the emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, the approach that the traffic study will make to the Municipality’s traffic issues must have one main goal: the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In other words, how and through the traffic study will we contribute to the achievement of the goals of climate neutrality.

The second development concerns the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan of the Municipality of Kozani, which was approved and published in the Official Gazette in November 2023. It is therefore time to start its implementation, it is time to start adopting the proposals included in it, so that the movements in the city and the municipal apartments, are done in the best possible and sustainable way, safely.

This is the second goal of the traffic study, i.e. the adoption and integration into the traffic regulations of the choices made by the SIA, so that with their adoption the conditions of pedestrian and vehicular movement in the urban fabric will be improved.

These are the major demands of the Traffic Study. We hope that with its completion and after taking into account the goals of climate neutrality and the SBAK, we will see our city more functional, with fewer traffic problems. With safe transportation and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.