The problem

In recent years the use of bicycles in the Municipality of Avezzano has grown rapidly, also thanks to the increased awareness of its citizens to the benefits to be obtained from this means of transport in a mainly urban context and to the consequent contribution in terms of environmental sustainability. While the cycle lanes unquestionably guarantee protection to the cyclists, it is also true that their realisation requires the availability of often unavailable spaces on the roads, especially in Italy’s historical centres.

The modification of road spaces, in regulatory and infrastructural terms, necessarily entails the redevelopment of the whole area in the perspective of cycling mobility, through the resurfacing of the wear layer and horizontal and vertical road markings.  The present cycle lane network covers a significant part of the urban road network of Avezzano, but various internal zones of the town are still excluded from this. Moreover, there is no connection with important attractors outside the town (districts, commercial area, industrial hub).

As a consequence of this still inadequate facility for the modern demands of the town’s mobility, the use of the lanes in the central part is today poor, while at the same time there is significant bicycle traffic on the roads linking the external attractors, in precarious conditions of safety for the users.

Our approach

With the aim of reducing the previously recorded critical factors and on the basis of the innovative solutions made available by recent regulations, a project proposal has been drafted which will make it possible to achieve the objectives established by the local council.

The Plan is divided into a series of integrated interventions:

• creation of new cycle lanes;
• definition of areas with a 30 km/h speed limit (30 Zones), mainly in the central part of the town;
• definition of roads with a 30 km/h speed limit (30 Roads), including two-way cycle lanes;
• introduction of cycle-pedestrian paths;
• redevelopment of some parts of the infrastructure from cycle lanes to cycle roads.

At the same time the following activities will take place:

• communication and information to citizens, by means of the various media used by different age groups;
• actions of awareness raising, by means of events aimed at increasing public awareness of the personal and social benefits of cycling;
• training in the safe use of bicycles, aimed above all at schools.