Experts say better cycling infrastructure can ease car congestion

Improved cycling and light-traffic infrastructure would benefit drivers as well as people who walk or cycle, Canadian-Dutch sustainable mobility experts Melissa and Chris Bruntlett told ERR. They said Tallinn and Tartu have made progress in recent years but still lack a unified standard for developing such infrastructure.

The Bruntletts visited Tallinn and Tartu in early October and cycled in both cities. In their view, cities that support different forms of transport can reduce traffic congestion and make urban space more usable for everyone.

“In both Tallinn and Tartu, a lot of good work stands out, especially regarding recent developments. At the same time, there is still plenty of room for improvement in both cities,” Chris Bruntlett said.

The couple, who are from Canada but have lived in Delft, the Netherlands, for seven years, assess cities around the world through the lens of the traffic culture in their adopted home. Based on their experience in Tallinn and Tartu, they said different forms of transport have been developed unevenly in Estonia.

“It gives the impression that sustainable forms of transport are used only by highly committed people or by those who simply have no other choice,” Chris said.

The Bruntletts consider Delft an example of an ideal urban environment. “In a perfect city, everyone can enjoy public space, regardless of age, ability or gender,” Melissa said.

She said a good city has a more social environment, with street life encouraging people to spend more time outdoors. In their ideal city, walking and cycling are an integral part of daily life.

“People can choose which means of transport or route they want to use without the city dictating it to them,” Chris said.

The couple said transport should be treated as a tool for making a city a better place to live for everyone. The broader goal, they said, should be liveability rather than mobility in itself.

In Tartu, the experts saw elements of their ideal city. The city’s two officially designated cycle streets, Tähtvere Street and Õnne Street, seemed different from the surrounding urban space.

“Because of the greenery, flowers and trees, they were much more inviting. They were pleasant places where people genuinely want to spend time and where they feel pride in and connected to their neighbourhood,” Chris said.

Melissa encountered more uncomfortable situations while cycling in Tallinn. “The reason may of course be the city’s size and the number of road users,” she said.

She also noticed more children, adults and older people using light-traffic routes in Tartu than in the capital. Despite its fragmented development, this suggested that Tartu had progressed further in diversifying its traffic patterns.

“The biggest challenge is to maintain this momentum, because it seems that development in Tartu has stalled somewhat recently,” Melissa said.