NEWS - FLORENCE
Piazza Pulita: the work ahead
Making Piazza Duomo and the surrounding area pedestrian-only-and doing so by October 25-means many changes for the city and its residents.
Road work is already underway from 9:30pm to 6am daily, and although most people support the decision to free the Duomo area of traffic, the impact of Florence's decision is significant. The new pedestrian zone will directly affect 19 Ataf bus routes, the city's main thoroughfares, taxi drivers, delivery trucks, the disabled, residents, merchants, commuters, and, of course, tourists.
BUSES. he routes for Ataf buses 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 25, 28, 31/32, 33, 57, 67, 68, 70, 71, 82 will be modified. Piazza San Marco will become the new bus hub for the historic centre.
Ataf's biggest concern is losing some of the commuters who travel to and from Piazza Duomo every day. ‘We are not willing to cover the profit loss ourselves', says Americo Leoni, from the Ataf union, Faisa Cisal.
The majority of the buses will be deviated to viale Strozzi. To ensure that Ataf buses connect Piazza Indipendenza and the Santa Maria Novella (SMN) train station, buses will have a dedicated lane on viale Strozzi, from via Valfonda to via Ridolfi. Because the buses will travel in the opposite direction of city traffic, some worry about the safety and effectiveness of the plan.
Also, because the dedicated bus lane will reduce the number of lanes for traffic traveling south to north on viale Strozzi, from four to three, many fear an increase in traffic jams in what is already a major thoroughfare connecting the north and south of Florence. Going in the opposite direction on viale Strozzi, buses will pass through Piazzale Bambini e Bambine di Beslan.
A new traffic light will be installed at the via Ridolfi-viale Strozzi intersection to better regulate the high-traffic area. The good news is that the Fortezza da Basso will be better connected to the historic centre.
The new routes for Ataf buses can be found at www.ataf.net
TAXIS. The 660 taxi drivers who take an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 passengers to and from Piazza Duomo every day will be affected by the change. Drivers and union leaders argue that it will be much more difficult and expensive to drop off and pick up passengers in the historic centre. Their main concern is that it will take longer to cross the area, and longer taxi rides means higher costs for passengers. ‘If clients used to spend 5 euros for a 700 meter taxi ride, now they might have to spend up to 20. They'll definitely decide to go on foot', said Alessandro Cioncolini of the Unitataxi Cgil labour union.
To get from Piazza Santa Croce to the SMN train station, taxis will have to wind around the Duomo pedestrian zone, along via Bufalini and via dei Pucci, and then around the San Lorenzo Basilica. Mayor Renzi recently anncounced that taxis would no longer be able to pass along Borgo San Lorenzo to reach via Cerretani, leaving the only access from the train station.
DELIVERY TRUCKS. eliveries to and from the pedestrian zone will be allowed daily from 6am to 9:30am at three access points: via Cerretani, via Cavour and along via dell'Oriuolo (at the corner of via del Proconsolo-Ghibellina).
THE DISABLED. lectric cars or vehi-cles transporting the disabled will be barred from entering the pedestrian-only area. Drop off points are to be located at via Cavour, via Cerretani, via Roma and via dell'Oriuolo.
RESIDENTS. Those living in the pedestrian-only zone will have limited access to the area by car: from 6am to 9:30am every day. They will be able to access the Duomo area from via Roma, via Cavour, via dell'Oriuolo and via Cerretani.
What do you think about a pedestrian-only Duomo? Have your say by writing to inbox@theflorentine.net
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