Former Blloku pedestrian zone, 2.5 million euro tender opens

2025-06-02 13:37:00, Aktualitet CNA

The announced intervention to return the former Blloku area to pedestrian priority seems to be taking place soon.

This Monday, the Municipality of Tirana opened the procedure with the object of the contract "Rehabilitative interventions in the block bordered by the streets "Ibrahim Rrugova" - "Nikolla Tupe" - "Sami Frashëri" - "Brigada VIII" (as part of WALK 21)" which aims precisely at what the head of government Edi Rama announced a few months ago.

The limited fund made available for this procedure is 246 million lek or about 2.5 million euros. The technical report of the procedure also provides details regarding interventions on several roads that the Former Block includes.

"The block is accessed from the main "Ismail Qemali" street, which connects to Tirana's main Boulevard, "Dëshmorët e Kombit", on the eastern side. On the northern side, the connection is made with 4th "Bajram Curri" Boulevard through "Ibrahim Rugova", "Vaso Pasha" and "Sami Frashëri" streets, as well as with secondary streets, parallel to "Ismail Qemali" street, which are: "Brigada e VIII", "Pjetër Bogdani" and "Nikolla Tupe".

The roads for intervention are: "Ismail Qemali Street", "Pjetër Bogdani", "Brigada VIII", "Vaso Pasha" and "Sami Frashëri" only at the intersections that connect to the aforementioned roads," the report states.

'Walk 21', Requalification of Block Roads

The project for the requalification of Blloku's roads aims to achieve these same aforementioned qualities, which will serve the citizens of Tirana by effectively changing the traditional hierarchy of vehicle priority, giving priority to pedestrians.

This will be achieved by following key design features that contribute to the creation of “streets” and shared living spaces:

• Materials and surface treatment will determine priority for pedestrians and cyclists,

• Localized narrowing of roads and reduction of widths will ensure the limitation of uncontrolled parking,

• Sidewalks on both sides of the road, with regular planting and street trees,

• Raised-level intersections will support a low-speed environment for vehicles,

• Roads will be multifunctional.

Based on these qualities, the interventions in each path are:

• Narrowing the road for vehicles to 3.25 m,

• Elimination of side parking,

• Widening sidewalks, Proposing bicycle lanes,

• Proposing urban elements that will serve pedestrians.

'Ismail Qemali Street

On “Ismail Qemali” Street, the road axis is proposed to be 3.25 m wide. Side parking is allowed on one side, as this road is the main axis that connects to “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard, it has sufficient width and this allows for side parking.

On the other hand, parking is eliminated and a bicycle lane is proposed, which will create a connection with the existing bicycle lanes in Bllok, which are on “Ibrahim Rugova” and “Sami Frashëri” streets.

The proposed materials for these lanes are: red pigment asphalt and white dispersed and re-sanded stones, except for the bike lane, which will be red pigment asphalt only, as the stones can be slippery for bikes. The sidewalks are widened by only 20 cm on each side to allow for the growth of existing tree roots, which are currently directly adjacent to the concrete curbs.

Street 'Brigada VIII', 'Pjeter Bogdani', & 'Vaso Pasha'

On secondary roads, such as: “Brigada VIII”, “Pjetër Bogdani”, and “Vaso Pasha”, the road axis is proposed with a width of 3.25 m. On one side of the road, several pockets for temporary parking are proposed. While, on the other side, parking is eliminated and the expansion of sidewalks is allowed on both sides.

The proposed materials for these lanes are: asphalt with scattered and re-sanded white stones. The sidewalks are widened from 130 cm (minimum of the existing condition) to 350 cm (maximum in the new proposal)./ Monitor Magazine