Key word: safety, security and inclusion
Main characteristics:
Project A) It is often said that Iceland has a “car culture”. The citizens of Reykjavík are heavily dependent on cars and due to heightened individualism in the society, people mostly drive by themselves rather than car-pooling. Using public transport has been considered taboo by locals, and biking or walking is often not considered feasible.
Project B) Hlemmur square is a historical mobility hub undergoing major transformations from 2022-2027. Over time it has been a bus hub with roads on two sides to serve heavy car traffic. It has completely lacked appeal to pedestrians or other modes of transport than cars/buses coming through, regardless e.g., of the number of people on foot in the area. Hlemmur is undergoing major transformation where private cars will not be allowed to pass through, and more space dedicated to cyclists and pedestrians. The construction period will last a few years but the mobility hub is central in the city and many people move through the site.
Challenges to tackle:
Project A) Increasing green mobility in one to two neighbourhoods through use of behavioral interventions, addressing the culture of cars in those neighbourhoods through community.
Project B) Creating a successful co-existing of pedestrians, cyclist and commuters by other means during the construction period.
Main goals of the SIA (project B):
As many areas in the city are being constructed for years at a time, with many commuters passing through, we will find ways to make these areas easier, safer and more accessible to commute through. The focus is on the main mobility hub, Hlemmur, as many people still need to pass through there. Parts of Hlemmur will be ready during AMIGOS, and we can therefore measure how people move through both the construction site as well as the newly developed parts of the hub. In the redesign of Hlemmur, much of the land around the square will be reallocated, combining a key hub on a new carbon-neutral Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line – coming through on a single dedicated lane – and green, inclusive and lively environment for residents and tourists, extending bars/restaurants, performance and play areas over a significantly enlarged square to encourage community feel.
The design of the hub is key in routing all private cars to nearby carparks and accommodating for safe transition between different modes of transport with easy access for bikes and small e-vehicles (rentals/charging), pedestrians and other microflows. The goal with the hub redesign is to create an inclusive area for everyone to enjoy and move through safely.
In addition to measuring how people flow through, the goal of this project is to increase ease of flow for commuters to pass through the site during construction. The focus will be on pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users such as older people, children, people with strollers and people with disabilities.
Two “Mobility Observation Box (MOB)” will be used to analyse and overcome the risks and conflicts in the area.
GET IN TOUCH: hannah.ros.sigurdardottir.tobin@reykjavik.is
