“As previously announced, traffic restrictions during the NATO Summit will cover the Old Town, part of the city centre and of the Vilnius Airport territory, as well as the approaches to the Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre LITEXPO. We continuously receive concerns from residents and businesses in the restricted areas that the announced restrictions will severely limit their ability to move around the city and obtain necessary resources. We have therefore held a few meetings with interested groups, have coordinated available options with other authorities and are now able to share updated traffic restriction schemes. We hope this will bring more clarity,” says Adomas Bužinskas, Director of the Vilnius City Municipality Administration.
Reduced Scope for Restrictions
The Old Town and the city centre are the areas where the most changes have been made. There are new unloading and loading points for freight, picking up and dropping off passengers, and parking spaces where Vilnius residents living in the restricted area can park their vehicles. Pedestrian traffic in the vicinity of the Presidential Palace will be restricted on 11 July from 15:00 to 24:00, while at other times pedestrians will be able to use other parts of the Old Town and the city centre without any restrictions.
In the vicinity of the airport, traffic restrictions will be short-term and will be applied on A. Gustaičio, Oreivių and Vikingų streets. Passengers with flight tickets will be able to access both the airport terminals and car parks without the need for separate permits. For those arriving by car, it is recommended to take the route along Dariaus ir Girėno and F. Vaitkaus Streets.
To ensure the accessibility of the residents of Lazdynai and Karoliniškės, the Laisvės Avenue (Laisvės prospektas) from Architektų Street will be open to all vehicles in a northerly direction, towards the Spaudos Rūmai. Southbound access to residential areas will be possible only from the Western Bypass and adjacent streets. With the changes to the planned traffic restrictions, vehicles will be able to move along Oslo Street and the section of Miškinių Street between Oslo Street and Parodų Street without any major restrictions – traffic may be stopped for short periods of time, and no permits will be required for vehicles to enter the premises of companies located on these streets.
Free Public Transport in the Capital on 10-13 July
To minimise any inconvenience caused by the traffic restrictions, Vilnius City Council invites residents to choose between walking and public transport. To make journeys smoother, Vilnius residents and visitors will be able to use the city‘s public transport free of charge from 10-13 July.
The planned traffic restrictions will also affect normal public transport routes, which are being adjusted. Updated bus and trolleybus routes and timetables will be announced next week.
All the latest information on the NATO Summit, traffic restrictions and frequently asked questions can be found at www.vilnius.lt/nato
Download the updated traffic restriction scheme (link for journalists only): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/o5ez2mrj9ylus11/AAB-1m6yxeF8AZSGXYmqHVUOa?dl=0
