Traffic safety
The development of traffic safety is monitored with the help of feedback from customers and traffic accident data reported by the police.
The principle of traffic planning is that all parties involved in traffic survive unharmed. This objective is based on the EU Road Safety Strategy, which aims for no one to die or be injured in traffic by 2050. In connection with this so-called zero vision, an important sub-objective in Finland is to reduce the number of traffic fatalities to less than 100 by 2030.
Traffic safety is improved in urban planning by adapting speed limits to the traffic environment, improving the traffic environment during street renovations with structural changes, and various traffic calming measures. Kuopio has introduced the first automatic speed monitoring points. Common methods on residential streets include speed bumps and narrow passages.
Traffic safety work also involves cooperation within the city and with various stakeholders.
Traffic Safety Initiatives and Customer Feedback
A limited appropriation is reserved annually for the implementation of traffic safety targets. Safety initiatives are collected over a longer period of time and the urgency of implementation is assessed periodically.
The assessment of initiatives is based on the traffic safety situation (measured driving speeds, accidents), traffic conditions on the street (through traffic, pedestrian and cycling paths, intersections), and land use in the area affected by the street (schools, day-care centres, sheltered housing, sports areas, etc.). The traffic safety plan is taken into account in the assessment.
The assessment is carried out as an expert evaluation, and the sites selected for implementation are included in the planning and construction programs. Implementation is carried out within the limits of the appropriations.
Traffic safety measures are also planned in traffic planning based on customer feedback. Customer feedback can be submitted through the City of Kuopio feedback service.
Obligation of the Property Owner to Maintain a Green Area Bordering the Street Area
The trees and shrubs of properties may pose a risk to public transport and hinder the maintenance and cleaning of the street area. The care of the trees and shrubs growing on the property belongs to the owner of the property, who must ensure that the vegetation does not hinder visibility and movement.
Trees and shrubs growing at intersections can cause dangerous situations especially for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as for motorists. The spread of vegetation in old properties should be checked at appropriate intervals. When planting on new properties, it must be taken into account that, for example, trees and hedges can also fit on the plot once fully grown.
Links
- Speed limits in Kuopio
- Maintenance and cleaning of street areas
- Kuopio traffic safety plan 2030 (pdf, in Finnish)
- Statistics Finland road accident statistics