ISSUE: 231
I was really too honest a man to be a politician and live.
- Socrates
SURVEY

Ideas for Solving the Insoluble


For more people who live in the urbanized areas of Ukraine, particularly Kyiv, the problem of burgeoning traffic is one of the most troubling problems, one that seems to defy solution.

In this month's Pub Poll, we queried a number of persons as follows:

"A recent Observer article suggested that narrowing Kyiv's extremely wide sidewalk areas and using that space to widen the traffic lanes, particularly on Khreshchatyk Street, would be a partial solution to Kyiv's traffic congestion. Do you support this idea? What other ideas would you suggest?"

Karolina_Patocki.jpgI don't know that narrowing the sidewalks would help anyway.  Drivers here seem to take advantage of all possible space they have to get through traffic - driving on sidewalks, against oncoming traffic, between lanes and cars, etc. I don't see any other solution at present than to encourage public transport use - perhaps investing more there - and increasing communications and perhaps improving safety within these systems."

Karolina Patocki,
Country Director, Oxford Business Group
In Ukraine five months. Interviewed at The Drum


Steve_Bandera.jpgI don't think that Khreshchatyk is the problem; traffic seems to move fairly well there. And reducing sidewalk space would mean that there would be even less room for pedestrians and the practice of parking cars where people are meant to walk will not go away.  City Hall should take an example from London: Place a premium on bringing cars into the city and expand parking areas on the outskirts near Metro stations. They should also go ahead with plans to make grids of one-way streets on the larger arteries. However, the best would be to get everyone riding bicycles.

Steve Bandera,
Editor, Kyiv Post. In Ukraine nine years
Interviewed at The Drum

Mike_Finko.jpgOf course not, as it would only be a temporary solution. Look at the growth rates in car ownership. Besides, we would loose all that prime parking space.

Mike Finko,
Director, The Messenger courier service
In Ukraine 10+ years
Interviewed at The Drum


Vasyl_Pawlowsky.jpgWhile the idea is a good one, it has limitations on streets other than Khreshchatyk. First of all, sidewalks are for pedestrians, even though narrowing sidewalks might help traffic congestion. Let's keep the [expletive deleted] off the sidewalks. Maybe drastic measures are needed because most of the problems are caused by those who have respect neither for the rules of the road nor the rule of law. We need a citizens' brigade that would simply destroy the property of those who drive on the sidewalks, hitting them where it hurts the most.

Vasyl Pawlowsky,
Director/Partner, Info Analysis Dept, Danapro Ltd.
In Ukraine eight years. Interviewed at The Drum


Dominick_OReilly.jpgTo be honest, I have mixed emotions on this issue. Whereas drastic measures are needed to address traffic in the city, that said, I would hate to think of the opening of Khreshchatyk at weekends as a solution to the Monday-Friday problems. Those in control need to look at tidal flow systems as a means of addressing this problem.

Dominick O'Reilly,
Operations Manager, Kyiv Duty Free
In Ukraine five years. Interviewed at O'Brien's Pub

P_Samuels.jpgTo my knowledge, an additional lane would add to the congestion, not solve the problem. I would suggest better management of the routes entering and leaving the congested area that would ease the flow during peak hours.

P-J Samuels,
Retail Interior Designer,
Aer Rianta International
In Kyiv two years
Interviewed at O'Brien's Pub.
 


Read also previous issue' articles:
What Should Ukraine Do to Support Its Tourism Industry?
What Do You Miss Most From the Home Country?
PUB POLL: Defining the dacha
The Pub Poll Waxes Romantic for St. Valentine's Day
The Pub Poll Choices for Person of the Year
Pub Poll. Resolving to Make Changes During the Coming Year



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UKRAINE UPDATE

COVER
The Long Slide Into Instability

COLUMNISTS
THE WORKPLACE: A Second Wind
RANDOM NOTES: Sir Martin's Pyrrhic Victory

DIALOGUE AND DEBATE
Ukraine is Drifting to the West - Slowly but Surely
The Unfinished Orange Revolution?

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Asserting dignity

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Khrushchev and Ukraine
New Horizons for the Disabled
Kyiv's Clever Canines
Avante Garde Artist With a Cause
A Kurkov Curiosity

SHORT STORY
Cows and Parachutists

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Generosity Begins at Home

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What a Fine Mess

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Ideas for Solving the Insoluble


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