Public transportation

FUTURE TRANSPORTATION METHODS

ELECTRIC VECHICLES

A steering committee consisting of leaders from governmental and private organizations should be established, along with making the infrastructural changes needed for electric vehicles to become a more common choice of transportation. Needed amount of charging stations should be readily available along major routes - highways, popular destinations, and public transport hubs.

High-use vehicles like buses need to come first for the biggest impact on city budgets and air quality. (Planning a City’s Transition to the Electric Vehicle Future, 2020) Electric cars seem particularly well suited to urban driving as trips are typically short, and electric cars can reduce congestion in cities.

By 2050, infrastructure in Kanta-Häme has been developed to a point where all transportation is electric.

BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CYCLING

Encouraging people to ride bikes and electric scooters instead of driving fairly short distances will reduce carbon emissions while gasoline-powered vehicles still make the majority of passengervehicle sales. Promoting cycling doesn’t do much if there aren’t good enough incentives to do so. Guiding residents through good planning is a better long-term plan that also highlight residents’ freedom to make their own decisions.

By improving connections within the already existing bikeway network in Kanta-Häme, transportation linkages become more efficient. Connecting bikeways to the densest routes of the public transport systems allows more people to have the accessibility to movement along major corridors. Making areas more comfortable and attractive to walk or bike will make commuting and visiting new destinations by bike a more attractive option.

existing bicycle pathways

BIKES AND SCOOTERS

Cycling is a popular mode of transport for many commuters. In addition to work and school trips, scooter rides and visiting nature attractions by bike are popular leisure activities.

Our aim is to improve connections within the already existing bicycle path network in Kanta-Häme and encourage people to ride bikes instead of driving fairly short distances.

New routes are first introduced to areas that have inconsistent cycle networks. Bikeways on the outskirts of Hämeenlinna, for example, can be seen dividing until there’s a dead end. In addition to creating more consistent routes, paths to allotments and nature attractions are created. This way recreational places are more accessible to cyclists.

Cycle lanes will lead from towns and cities to another and be in the immediate vicinity of the most used routes. Separating pedestrians and cyclists from each other is important in order to reduce accidents caused by reckless people riding electric scooters and bicycles. Cycle lanes are especially aimed at commuters who want to move between places quickly and have the least amount of unnecessary slow-downs.

Some of the cycle lanes are part of green networks in urban areas of Kanta-Häme. Especially lanes that pass through nature attractions will have a more distinguished green look to them. These green routes will have green noise barriers next to them when passing by highways and green fences separating them from pedestrian streets and motorways. Roof gardens can be seen along the green routes close to newly established allotments in Hämeenlinna. Green routes are a solution to maintaining biodiversity of the environment while increasing bike traffic and adding public health and well-being opportunities. Green routes connect cyclists to nature, recreation and active living, and offer a place for everyone regardless of their cycling skills. Less confident or recreational cyclists may feel more comfortable cycling along green routes. (Urban Green Up. Cycle and Pedestrian Green Route.)

Green routes passing through nature attractions and other recreational areas