Zagreb Parking Woes: More Garages Not Enough, Official Says

Zagreb's parking woes cannot be solved by simply constructing more garages, according to Andro Pavuna, the head of the City Office for Local Self-Government, Traffic, Civil Protection, and Security. Speaking at a Večernjak tribune event, Pavuna addressed residents' frequent calls for additional parking facilities, explaining the limitations of such an approach.

Pavuna illustrated the issue by stating that building 30 new garages, similar in scale to existing ones, would create approximately 6,000 new parking spaces. However, he estimated the cost to be between 200 and 300 million euros and the construction time to be between 10 and 15 years. "And you know what the problem is? Zagreb residents bought 30,000 new cars last year. Those 6,000 spots we would build would be filled in three months," he stated, highlighting the rapid pace of car ownership growth.

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And you know what the problem is? Zagreb residents bought 30,000 new cars last year. Those 6,000 spots we would build would be filled in three months.

The discussion, held for the first time in 12 years, brought together residents from the Donji Grad and Gornji Grad – Medveščak districts. They raised concerns about traffic, parking, deliveries in pedestrian zones, and the increasing disregard for traffic regulations. While some argued for improved public transport to alleviate traffic issues, others focused on the daily violations of rules, particularly by delivery vehicles entering pedestrian areas despite prohibitions.

Pavuna acknowledged the city's role in setting up traffic signals and physical barriers but emphasized that the city does not possess the authority for the enforcement citizens expect. "We as a City have the authority to put up a sign. We have the authority to put up a bollard. We can regulate traffic. But someone else has to enforce those rules," he explained. He cited the example of Gornji Grad, where traffic is prohibited in one direction, yet violations occur throughout the day, underscoring that the city fulfills its part by setting the rules, but enforcement lies elsewhere.

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We as a City have the authority to put up a sign. We have the authority to put up a bollard. We can regulate traffic. But someone else has to enforce those rules.