Transport infrastructure of the city
Street infrastructure
Transport infrastructure is one of the most significant elements of the city infrastructure that ensures the existence and vitality of the city. Transportation problems during the last years have become the focus of concern, due to the dramatic increase in the number of vehicles, especially privately owned automobiles. Street layout of the city is very complicated because the city is divided by railroad lines (TEN-T) in several directions, however connection of separate residential areas of the city is not provided. Consequently, one of the most important transport infrastructure projects is the construction of a new transport nodal point (passage) to ensure the safety of traffic within the city, connection of the city’s infrastructure (by road) to the TEN-T, reduction of the increasing impact of rail-freight transportation on the urban transport system, as well as providing interconnection between residential areas of the city.
The location of the transport nodal points can be seen in the territorial plan of the city (see the cartographic appendix No.2).
Parking lots
Another problem of the city infrastructure is the lack of public parking lots, especially in the central part of the city. This can be attributed, to a great extent, to the narrow streets in the historical centre of the city, where the majority of the social and public administrative objects are situated. In perspective the present issues may be solved in collaboration with entrepreneurs.
The number of vehicles in Daugavpils (lorries, buses, automobiles)
Source: data of the Central Statistical Bureau of the Republic of Latvia
Cycleways
No cycleways have been constructed in Daugavpils. Taking in consideration the current traffic situation in the city, which is influenced by the increasing number of vehicles, the large number of higher educational establishments, the growing popularity of cycling tourism, cycleways would be very necessary. The territorial plan envisages tobegin designing and construction of the cycleways.
Though the territorial plan of Daugavpils contains proposals for construction of cycleways and their connection with the EIROVELO network, the infrastructure of cycleways in Daugavpils is not developed yet. Considering the great number of students that live in Daugavpils and the fact, that summerhouses are located in the suburbs of the city, it would be very useful to construct the cycleway network in the city.