Official web site of
The City of Bijeljina

Seven days to promote alternative forms of mobility



Rain in Bijeljina did not prevent planned activities of the first day of European Mobility Week, and the children of preschool and school age managed to hang out on traffic simulation training grounds. This event is traditionally held from 16th to 22nd September in many European countries, in order to promote active mobility and traffic without motor vehicles, and all the benefits included, first of all, positive impact to human health and reduction of harmful gas emissions. In the following days, a number of interesting activities will be organised, like cycling, rollerblading, open air training, games for children with difficulties and other activities intended for different ages, and also traffic monitoring, citizen surveying, opening streets for pedestrians, while sponsors and partners provided appropriate presents for the participants of these events.
 
Head of Section for Local Economic Development and European Integration Ankica Todorović announced the commencement of European Mobility Week.
 
“The fifth European Mobility Week in Bijeljina was supported by 22 sponsors, nine partners, and I would like to thank them for recognising these activities as important for our fellow citizens. These activities are aimed to show that together we can make a healthier environment and living habits, to make traffic more efficient and environmentally acceptable, and also to obtain the opinion from the citizens about what the City Administration should do in this area in order to make the City of Bijeljina more successful in this area,” said Ankica Todorović.
 
Mayor Ljubiša Petrović said that the European Mobility Week would remind everyone how much is the physical activity important for health, spirit, and for environmental protection.
“This is a good tradition which will be continued in the future. This year, in accordance with the budget, we rearranged Patrijarha Pavla Street and made it a pedestrian zone. There is also a pedestrian path towards the school in Hase, and now we have an obligation, within our budget, to connect the school with the other part of the village, keeping in mind that the safety of pedestrians must be better than before. Next year, we plan to start a project Bike Sharing with other local communities, or placing bikes for rent on several locations in the city, and a much larger project of building a public parking garage, so Bijeljina could get appropriate number of parking lots. Next is arrangement of pavements and access points for pedestrians on Gavrila Principa Street, as well as works on Stefana Dečanskog Street with accompanying pedestrian and cycling paths with a length of 1,700 metres, all the way to the Agro Trade Centre. The best bidder has been selected and the works will commence in approximately 25 days. Directorate for Construction and Development of the City is currently working on project documentation for a pedestrian-cycling path, together with reconstruction of the road from Bijeljina to Amajlije in the length of eight kilometres, with the idea to get from the city to the Driva River on a bike without a problem. The Directorate is also finishing the design to reconstruct Račanska Street with accompanying underground and overhead installations, which will be appropriate in order to preserve the existing tree alley, and also to achieve satisfying functionality of the pedestrian-cycling path, and of course, better safety of traffic,” said the mayor.
 
“During the pandemic caused by Corona virus, alternative ways of transportation became popular, and among them electric scooters. We prepared leaflets with excerpts from the law in order to inform the citizens how to use these electric vehicles in a right, safe and lawful way, because they are probably the future of European traffic, as well as all other green means of transport,” said, among other things, Mladen Petrović, director of the Agency for Traffic Safety.
 
Jelica Lubura, a professional associate in the prevention service for traffic safety at the Automobile Association of Republika Srpska (AMSRS), reminded that the AMSRS traditionally takes part in this event through its automobile associations in the territory of entire Republika Srpska, and that this year they organised a competition in skilful bike riding on the simulated training grounds.
 
Assistant Minister for traffic and connections Dragan Stanimirović attended the opening of the European Mobility Week. He invited local communities in Republika Srpska to give more attention to finding solutions for more use of alternative forms of traffic.