Urban transport reforms and safety research in Lithuania

Urban transportation challenges are being addressed through infrastructure research and systemic reforms in Lithuania. In Vilnius, researcher Edita Juodvalkienė from Vilnius Tech is studying the impact of electric scooter usage on city infrastructure. Her research highlights that current road surfaces, such as cracks and uneven pavement, pose safety risks to small scooter wheels. She emphasizes the need for integrated infrastructure to prevent riders from being forced into pedestrian zones or traffic lanes due to abrupt endings in bike paths.

In Kaunas, authorities are planning a major overhaul of the public transport system to address issues with route duplication and inconsistent service. The city intends to implement a hierarchy of routes by establishing six transport terminals. Under this plan, peripheral areas will be served by feeder routes that transport passengers to these terminals, where they will transfer to high-frequency transit lines serving main corridors. This reorganization aims to reduce the number of overlapping routes and improve overall service frequency.