Klaipėda Residents Complain After Underground Passage Closure Forces Dangerous Street Crossings

Following the closure of an underground pedestrian passage that provides access to the ferry, some residents of Klaipėda are resorting to dangerously crossing the busy Pilies Street. They argue that the nearest regulated crosswalk is inconveniently distant, forcing pedestrians, including families with young children, cyclists, and tourists heading to Smiltynė, to take risks.

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To use the nearest regulated crossing, one has to cross at least three streets, so a large portion of people simply choose to cross the roadway.

A Klaipėda resident, Mantas, has voiced his concerns to the police and the city municipality. He stated that no real alternative for pedestrians was provided after the underground passage was closed. "To use the nearest regulated crossing, one has to cross at least three streets, so a large portion of people simply choose to cross the roadway," his letter reads. He observed a constant stream of people dangerously crossing the busy intersection daily.

The Klaipėda City Municipality, however, has no plans to install an additional pedestrian crossing in the area. Gediminas Kalasūnas, an advisor in the Transport Department, explained that signal-controlled pedestrian crossings are already in place approximately 120 meters in either direction from the intersection. "There are no plans to install an additional crossing here, as signal-controlled pedestrian crossings have been installed on both sides, which are the safest way to cross the street," Kalasūnas commented.

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There are no plans to install an additional crossing here, as signal-controlled pedestrian crossings have been installed on both sides, which are the safest way to cross the street.

Kalasūnas further noted that current regulations prohibit the installation of an additional unregulated crossing at this location. According to the rules for organizing pedestrian crossings, such a crossing can only be established if the roadway is no wider than 8.5 meters and lacks a safety island or dividing strip. Pilies Street here is about 14 meters wide, making a temporary, unregulated crossing legally impossible. The municipality urges residents and visitors to use the existing regulated crossings. The underground passage will reopen only after repairs under the Pilies Bridge are completed, allowing safe pedestrian access to the new "Memelio miestas" buildings.

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Here the street width is about 14 meters, so current regulations do not allow the installation of a temporary unregulated pedestrian crossing.