Debate over Vassilissis Olgas Avenue revamp continues

As the Athens municipality presses connected with a program to let cars and motorcycles backmost onto Vassilissis Olgas Avenue – a comparatively small but important street linking two large thoroughfares successful the metropolis halfway – experts stay divided implicit its uses. 

“The moderated use of portion of the roadworthy by backstage vehicles will not drastically change either its relation oregon its caller signifier aft the redevelopment. Vassilissis Olgas is 30 meters wide, allowing pedestrians, cars and nationalist transportation to coexist without obstruction,” says Panagiotis Papantoniou of the University of West Attica, who besides spearheaded the study connected which the program is based. 

Professor George Yannis from the National Technical University of Athens could not disagree more. “Ideally, neither buses nor the tram should pass, since the metro already serves the area. This way, we would person a due pedestrian street alternatively than conscionable an expanded sidewalk,” helium tells Kathimerini. “We’re doing the other of what different parts of Europe are doing.”

Athens Mayor Haris Doukas, however, is determined to transportation the program through. “Vassilissis Olgas Avenue has been closed since 2020, mired successful a failed plan. The metropolis cannot spend further delays. Athens faces a terrible traffic problem, and reopening it is simply a captious λύση we cannot ignore. It cannot stay a ‘private’ road, accessible lone to those visiting the Zappeio cafe oregon going to play tennis,” helium says, referring to two fashionable venues flanking the street.