Riga delays promised repairs to Sermuliņu Street

Riga’s 663-metre Sermuliņu Street, in the city’s Petersala district, has waited decades for a full renovation, LSM reports. Residents were promised that repairs would begin in 2026, but no work has started.

The street serves a school, a hotel and newly built residential buildings. Residents have submitted a formal request to Riga City Council for repairs to the road surface.

“Sermuliņu Street has not been repaired for quite some time. In fact, no full repair has been carried out since the 1990s,” said Sergejs, a building manager.

He said parents with small children often use the school stadium for walks because the street is so difficult to cross.

“It is practically impossible to walk through this street; you could break your leg,” he said.

Ieva Grīsle, a project coordinator in Riga City Council’s External Communications Department, said the street had been included in the city’s planned works, but funding had not been found.

“Riga City Council prepares a list of works that should be carried out in a particular year, but everything depends on the available budget. Sermuliņu Street up to Pētersalas Street was included in this plan, but we did not find funding for it,” Grīsle said.

The municipality says it will reconsider the renovation plan while preparing next year’s budget, but has made no firm commitment.

“We have to look at the available funding, assess the most urgent problems and consider the project as a whole, including which works are faster and more urgent,” Grīsle said.

She urged residents not to lose hope, saying that the project’s previous inclusion in the city’s plans showed it was considered relevant.

“The fact that we could not do it this year does not mean it will not be done next year,” Grīsle said.

Sermuliņu Street begins at its intersection with Pētersalas Street and ends at the intersection with Katrīnas Dambis.