The Usage and Perception of Pedestrian Zones in Lithuanian Cities: Multiple Criteria and Comparative Analysis

As pedestrian zones are public spaces in urban areas, they are important in terms of meeting people’s needs. However, it is worth noting that attention should be paid not only to the development of the physical infrastructure, but also to a sustainable balance between the socio-economic and environmental aspects. To guide urban planning and management initiatives towards more sustainable patterns, it is essential to re-examine the already existing characteristics of cities, establishing how they are used and perceived by inhabitants. The present research suggests environmental, economic and social criteria that determine a greater vitality of pedestrian zones in cities and better life quality for the inhabitants. A questionnaire survey was used to assess common attitudes regarding the research topic in major cities in Lithuania. The multiple criteria decision-making COPRAS (COmplex PRoportional ASsessment) method was used for the formation of a priority queue. The research results showed the attitudes of inhabitants towards pedestrian zones in Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaip˙eda. The inhabitants of these three cities regarded social and environmental criteria groups as the most significant. Contrary to what was expected and anticipated, respondents do not consider economic criteria as playing a key role in the sustainable preservation and development of pedestrian zones

Factors influencing cities pedestrian street functionality and sustainable land use

ISSN 1822-3230 (ankstesnių spausdintų leidinių)The public space encourages social exchange, develops and maintains social groups and allows the exchange of public messages. When the public space and public life are not supported in the community, there is no one to communicate with, people become isolated, less inclined to help or support each other. Public space is the scene of public life that promotes a sense of community, sense of place, human connection and communication as well as dependence sensation. High-quality and well-managed public space is a benefit to the city's economy, creating shelter from the car-centred life and move to a more natural environment as well as significant urban land use. Therefore, in recent times, in order to establish the right conditions in cities for different human needs, great attention is paid not only to the development of physical infrastructure, but also to other aspects that will help to create sustainable balance of social, economic and environmental aspects. One of the quality of life in the city return ways is the release of urban spaces for pedestrians. Until these days the pedestrian zones are extended little by little, resulting in disposal of the car parking-lots and improved cycling and other transport facilities. Sustainable use of urban pedestrian zones would provide economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits only if these aspects are combined with each other. The aim of the article is to distinguish and critically analyse (on the basis of a literature review) factors influencing the functionality and sustainable development of pedestrian streets. Article object – cities pedestrian street. The study was conducted using scientific publishing content analysis and synthesis techniques. This article is an overviewVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Pėsčiųjų zonų aplinkos kokybės analizė Lietuvos miestuose

Sparčiai augant urbanizacijos lygiui, automobilizacijai, didėja ir aplinkos tarša bei triukšmas. Tai neigiamai veikia aplinkos kokybę ir gyventojų sveikatą. Siekdamos sumažinti neigiamą poveikį aplinkai, nemažai šalių planuoja visiškai arba iš dalies atsisakyti / riboti transporto priemonių eismą miesto centruose, plėsti ir kurti pėsčiųjų zonas. Lietuvos didžiuosiuose miestuose (Vilniuje, Kaune ir Klaipėdoje) nors pėsčiųjų zonos iš dalies atribotos nuo transporto eismo, tačiau jose triukšmas viršija, o tarša siekia aukščiausią leistiną normą, kuri sparčiai augant automobilizacijai, ypač piko ar didesnių renginių metu, gali viršyti leistinas normas. Nustatyta, kad ypač Kauno ir Klaipėdos miestų pėsčiųjų zonose svarbu skirti daugiau dėmesio aplinkosaugai. Atsižvelgiant į esamos padėties analizę ir ekspertų nuomonę, svarbu uždrausti arba bent riboti (pvz., savaitgaliais) automobilių eismą šalia pėsčiųjų zonų esančiose gatvėseThe rapidly growing level of urbanisation and automobilization in large cities as well as nearby towns, townships and villages increases the environmental pollution and noise that in turn negatively influence environmental quality and the health of residents. In order to reduce the negative influence on the environment especially in large cities, a great number of countries are planning to fully or partially stop using/restrict the use of vehicles in city centres by developing and creating pedestrian zones. Although pedestrian zones in large Lithuanian cities (Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda) are partially isolated from vehicle traffic, the noise in such zones exceeds and the pollution reaches the highest permissible limits, which may be surpassed due to the increasing automobilization during rush hours or larger events. Having carried out the research, it was determined that it is vital to pay more attention to the factors of environmental protection, especially in the pedestrian zones located in Kaunas and Klaipėda cities. Therefore, in order to improve environmental quality based on the analysis of the current situation and the expert opinion, it is important to ban or partially restrict (at least on weekends) car traffic in adjacent streets as well as the pedestrian zones themselvesVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

The Importance of Environmental Criteria for Kaunas City Pedestrian Zones

Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Pėsčiųjų zonų aplinkos kokybės analizė Lietuvos miestuose

Sparčiai augant urbanizacijos lygiui, automobilizacijai, didėja ir aplinkos tarša bei triukšmas. Tai neigiamai veikia aplinkos kokybę ir gyventojų sveikatą. Siekdamos sumažinti neigiamą poveikį aplinkai, nemažai šalių planuoja visiškai arba iš dalies atsisakyti / riboti transporto priemonių eismą miesto centruose, plėsti ir kurti pėsčiųjų zonas. Lietuvos didžiuosiuose miestuose (Vilniuje, Kaune ir Klaipėdoje) nors pėsčiųjų zonos iš dalies atribotos nuo transporto eismo, tačiau jose triukšmas viršija, o tarša siekia aukščiausią leistiną normą, kuri sparčiai augant automobilizacijai, ypač piko ar didesnių renginių metu, gali viršyti leistinas normas. Nustatyta, kad ypač Kauno ir Klaipėdos miestų pėsčiųjų zonose svarbu skirti daugiau dėmesio aplinkosaugai. Atsižvelgiant į esamos padėties analizę ir ekspertų nuomonę, svarbu uždrausti arba bent riboti (pvz., savaitgaliais) automobilių eismą šalia pėsčiųjų zonų esančiose gatvėse.The rapidly growing level of urbanisation and automobilization in large cities as well as nearby towns, townships and villages increases the environmental pollution and noise that in turn negatively influence environmental quality and the health of residents. In order to reduce the negative influence on the environment especially in large cities, a great number of countries are planning to fully or partially stop using/restrict the use of vehicles in city centres by developing and creating pedestrian zones. Although pedestrian zones in large Lithuanian cities (Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda) are partially isolated from vehicle traffic, the noise in such zones exceeds and the pollution reaches the highest permissible limits, which may be surpassed due to the increasing automobilization during rush hours or larger events. Having carried out the research, it was determined that it is vital to pay more attention to the factors of environmental protection, especially in the pedestrian zones located in Kaunas and Klaipėda cities. Therefore, in order to improve environmental quality based on the analysis of the current situation and the expert opinion, it is important to ban or partially restrict (at least on weekends) car traffic in adjacent streets as well as the pedestrian zones themselves