On 26 November 2024, the City of Split hosted a successful conference on urban mobility conference which gathered over 140 participants to explore sustainable transport solutions. Highlights included the presentation of Split's activities in the ELABORATOR project and Split's leadership in urban mobility innovation.
The City of Split, one of ELABORATOR's Follower cities, hosted an urban mobility conference on 26 November 2024 which was a resounding success, gathering an impressive total of almost 140 participants. While 95 attendees officially registered, an additional 45 students from the Secondary Technical School of Transport, accompanied by their professors, joined the event to engage in the dialogue about the future of urban mobility.
The conference comes after the City Council adopted a Sustainable Mobility Plan – a strategic document that will shape the city's transport development until 2030, making Split the first major city in Croatia with such a plan. The conference brought together numerous experts, decision-makers and community representatives to discuss various aspects of urban mobility, share experiences and offer solutions to the challenges of modernization and sustainable development of transport systems.
Split as a leader in sustainable mobility
Split's Mayor Ivica Puljak welcomed the participants and highlighted Split's determination to develop all aspects of urban mobility:
"Through these initiatives, the City of Split is positioning itself as a leader in promoting sustainable urban mobility in the region. Our goal is to increase the use of public transport and cycling infrastructure, encourage innovation in transport technologies, reduce congestion and increase energy efficiency." - Ivica Puljak, Mayor of Split
The mayor announced a series of projects, including the construction of 30 new garages, the development of cycling infrastructure with a plan to create 40 kilometers of cycle paths, and further improvements to public transport through new buses, an e-ticketing system and new lines. He also announced the renewal of the public bicycle system and increased connectivity of the city, in particular with the opening of a new zone in Žnjan in May.
"We want to return public spaces to citizens so that they can feel more beautiful and comfortable in their city," emphasized Mayor Puljak.
Panels and presentations
The panel discussion on the topic "Integration of different forms of transport into a single system" brought together prominent experts:
Goran Lampelj (ODRAZ) praised Split as a leader in sustainable mobility, emphasizing visible changes and successes in the development of transport systems.
Marko Šoštarić, Dean of the Faculty of Transport Sciences in Zagreb, provided valuable expert insight into transport solutions and innovations.
Petar Mišura, head of the City of Šibenik, shared valuable experiences from a city known for its sustainable transport projects.
Innovations and projects: ELABORATOR takes the stage
Vedrana Franić, Assistant Head of the Split City Development Service, spoke about the application of intelligent transport systems (ITS) and traffic optimization through the ELABORATOR project. Beyond ELABORATOR, projects and innovations surrounding digitalizing road infrastructure, the public bike system, and more were highlighted.
The conference encouraged the exchange of ideas and the development of innovative solutions for improving the quality of life in cities. Split once again confirmed its role as a leader in the sustainable development of urban mobility, placing emphasis on planning, transport integration and reducing negative environmental impacts.
The conference showed that Split not only follows world trends, but also sets standards for urban mobility in the region.