![]() Photo by Guro Ranum Conclusions and recommendationsīridges and tunnels are essential to urban mobility, accessibility and connectivity. Tunnels and bridges should no longer only be structures that facilitate transport – their areas should offer an added value to the city and its citizens. As cities change, we need a new understanding of how to make optimal use of city areas. ![]() As European cities densify, available urban spaces become scarcer, while the need for these spaces increases. Historically, the main function of bridges and tunnels has been to connect different geographical areas, but they will also serve as important social connectors as our cities expand. Possibilities presented by bridges and tunnels “Redefining bridges and tunnels for the next generation of our cities” explores the potential of new and existing tunnels and bridges to reduce barriers and provide urban spaces and functions that improve quality of life in Europe. The same results can be achieved in many cities, simply by thinking differently about bridges and tunnels. The High Line is one example of how an existing, vacant structure can be redesigned to transform a community and create value for citizens. Today, the park is considered one of New York’s most spectacular sights, visited by 5 million people annually. In 2006, more than 25 years after the railway was decommissioned, work began on transforming the old viaducts into a green elevated park. After the railroad was vacated, a group of local residents and activists started advocating its conversion into a public landscape. ![]() In 1980, the last train ran on the High Line railway in New York, pulling three carloads of frozen turkeys. You can download the full report by via a link at the bottom this page. In this report, “Redefining bridges and tunnels for the next generation of our cities”, Sweco analyses cases where bridge and tunnel areas have been used successfully and proposes methods for reinventing infrastructure in European cities. To explore the full potential of our bridges and tunnels, we need to think in new ways. Or it might be a venue for community activities and outdoor meetings. The area under a bridge might be a dark, unwelcoming space that people take detours to avoid. This means that we must start thinking differently about our infrastructure. Urbanisation has made European cities denser and available urban spaces scarcer. Redefining bridges and tunnels for the next generation of our cities
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