Infrastructure Building

Unsightly junctions or the lack of safe pedestrian crossings around schools pose several risks to children walking to school. For this reason, many parents drive their children to school, adding to the problem – the area in front of the school is dominated by cars every morning, and the air is full of exhaust fumes.

We can improve freedom of movement by redesigning streets to make them safe and welcoming for the city’s youngest residents. The new infrastructure will help to calm and clarify traffic around schools.

In particular, the following elements:

• installation of traffic calming features (continuous pavement, speed bumps, chicanes, reduced turning radius),
• interventions to improve the visibility of children at pedestrian crossings (lighting, continuous pavement, reduction of parking in front of crossings),
• debarring of pavements.

For example, we can improve by lowering the speed limit in front of school entrances or building kiss ‘n’ ride places to quickly and safely drop off children who cannot walk to school.

Overview of modifications implemented so far

Tbiliská Primary School, Tbiliská Street

• The construction of a continuous sidewalk at the intersection of Tbiliská and Rustaveli streets contributed to better clarity. It provided more comfort in the movement for pedestrians.

• Building a construction threshold – a raised crosswalk in front of the school encourages drivers to obey the speed limit and prioritize children in the crosswalk.

• A “zigzag” line marks a designated area for a quick stop. Here, children can get out of their cars and walk safely along the pavement to the school without the car turning into Tbilisi Street. The area relieves the traffic directly in front of the school building.

• We removed the parking in front of the school and added an asphalt art and a mud island with trees and benches in the vacated space. We also raised the pedestrian crossing over Tbiliská Street to the pavement level.

Vazovova Primary School, Vazovova Street

• The construction of a new pedestrian crossing with a central island shortened the journey across Mýtna Street for pedestrians who had to go all the way to the traffic light after the intersection.

• Dedicated parking places near the intersection of Mýtna with Vazovova Street and in front of the school allowed parents to stop so that their children could safely get out of the car and continue to school along the sidewalk.

• Reservation of short-term parking spaces on Slovanská Street, where parents can park in 5 spaces for 10 minutes in the morning if they need to escort their child to the school gate.

• We are changing the geometry of the Mýtna – Vazovova intersection and reorganizing the space to slow down cars entering the street with three schools naturally.

Nevädzová Primary School, Nevädzová Street

• Reservation of short-term parking spaces on Nevädzová Street, where parents can park in 5 spaces for 10 minutes during school hours (7:00-16:00) if they need to escort their child to the school gate.

• The construction of the roundabout has helped cars that need to turn around in the morning after their child gets out of the vehicle. Initially, cars would pull into the cul-de-sac and turn right at the school gate.

• School street mode closed the cul-de-sac section of Nevädzova Street from 7:30 – 8:00 a.m. when most students walk there to school.

• We created a safe place for children to wait in front of the school gate where cars used to park. It was not possible to wait for parents pleasantly before. Now, the place is highlighted by the painting of the so-called asphalt pavement and the walkway to the school, which makes the children’s journey more pleasant.

Primary school Za kasárňou, Za kasárňou Street

• Building a construction threshold – a raised crosswalk in front of the school encourages drivers to obey the speed limit and prioritize children in the crosswalk.

Budatínska Primary School, Budatínska Street

• Construction of a continuous sidewalk at the intersection of Budatínska main street and the road leading to the school.

Primary School Drieňová, Svidnícka Street

• Reservation of short-term parking spaces in the parking lot at Štrkovecké Jazero, where parents can park in 10 spaces for 10 minutes in the morning and afternoon if they need to escort their child to the school gate or pick them up from the after-school club.

Mudroňova Primary School; Mudroňova, Myjavská and Broskyňová Street

• We are changing the geometry of the intersection in front of the school and reorganizing the space to slow cars down naturally on streets with many children. The change in geometry created shortened crossings on Myjavská Street and in Slávičie Valley, where children are more visible and their crossing time is shorter.

• Reservation of short-term parking spaces on Myjavská Street, where parents can park for 10 minutes in the morning and afternoon if they need to escort their child to the school gate or pick them up from the after-school club.

• Installing speed cushions on Mudroňova Street reduces the speed of vehicles directly in front of the pedestrian crossing at the school.

• Installing speed cushions on Broskyňová Street reduces speed on the narrow road, which drops sharply.