Patriarh Evtimiy Blvd.
Location: Sofia
Year: 2017
Team: Nurhan Redzheb, Maialen Landa Oregi, Pavel Yanchev, Silvia Chakarova, Despina Kaneva, Galina Aleksova
Status: Conceptual study
Motivation
The motivation behind the project for bicycle lane along Patriarh Evtimiy Blvd. is based on the Sofia Municipality’s statement to make Sofia a city for people and to change the planning approach – with priority to pedestrians and cyclists in the city centre.
Scope of the study
The current study looks at Patriarh Evtimiy Blvd. between Graf Ignatiev St. and Hristo Botev St.
Current situation
Patriarh Evtimiy Blvd. is characterised by good pedestrian accessibility. The north footpath is more than 5 m wide, and the south one is more than 4.5 m wide. The car lanes are one-way only and in the different parts of the boulevard they vary from 3 to 4 m. There are separate on-street parking places along the boulevard and green areas on both sides of it. The average building height (5/6 floors) and the active ground floor create public space with specific identity and human scale.
Key project principles
Development proposals
Proposal 1 aims to promote walking and cycling in the city centre and to restrict the car access. It proposes two footpaths (north – 5.2 m, south – 4.8 m), two bicycle lanes on both sides of the boulevard (2 m), greenery (2 m on both sides), parking places (2.5 m), a car lane (3 m) and a bus lane (3.5 m). The proposal defines parallel on-street parking, however, it can be changed to parking under 60o.
Proposal 2 is a compromise decision with more car lanes. The two bicycle lanes (2m) are developed as in Proposal 1. It proposes two car lanes (3m), a bus lane (3.5m) and on-street parking places, which are separated from the bike lane by greenery for the safety of the cyclists. There are no changes of the footpath width.
Phasing of the proposals
Presentation of the project at a specialised expert council at 26 July 2017. Our team was invited by Sofia Municipality’s Architecture and Urban Planning Department.
Our team was asked by Sofia Municipality’s Architecture and Urban Planning Department to present additional materials clarifying the intersections along Patriarh Evtimiy Blvd. Below you can see the two proposals our team developed based on the suggestions by Petya Doneva, MArch from Veloevolution Association.
Proposal 1 – bike lanes, dedicated BUS lane, more greenery, less car lanes
Proposal 2 – bike lanes, dedicated BUS lane, less greenery, more car lanes