Reykjavík City is looking for participants in a study that will analyze traffic safety and experience. Participants have a chance to win a gift certificate worth ISK 75,000.
The research is part of a collaborative project involving 28 partners across Europe. It focuses on creating safe, accessible, and sustainable solutions that leave no one behind, with special attention to how designs serve different groups such as older adults, people with disabilities, and young people. The study will also examine transportation choices, including walking, biking, motorcycles, electric scooters, cars, and city buses. The project has sought collaboration and participation from The Icelandic Disability Alliance, Blindrafélagið, Icelandic Association of the Visually Impaired, and other stakeholders.
"It is crucial that the group of respondents is diverse and that we hear from people with different accessibility needs," says Bragi Bergsson, the City's accessibility officer.
The area under study is Hlemmur and its surroundings, but the findings will be applicable throughout the city. Edda Ívarsdóttir, an urban designer, says insights from this type of research are invaluable for the future design of the city's squares.
"We want to design Hlemmur and other squares to meet the needs of all the diverse groups that use them. To achieve that, we must hear directly from people about their experiences and needs."
Image gallery
Hannah Rós Sigurðardóttir Tobin, project manager, leads Reykjavík City's work on this project. She says it's vital to reach as many people as possible to ensure the results are representative of capital area residents. It is also critical to reach people who travel through Hlemmur using various transportation modes, as well as those who currently struggle to use public transit or squares due to poor accessibility. The findings will inform the design of squares and transportation infrastructure with a focus on safety and accessibility for all. The survey is now live with a questionnaire about travel behavior in the capital area. After completing the survey, participants will be invited to install an app on their phones to log their travel around the capital area. This fall and winter, researchers will hold co-creation workshops, working with residents to brainstorm how to better meet the needs and preferences of pedestrians. All data gathering complies with the Data Protection Act and the City's Privacy Policy.
The European project, AMIGOS, addresses key urban challenges related to creating sustainable, accessible, and safe transportation. AMIGOS stands for "Active Mobility Innovations for Green and safe city sOlutionS." More information is available on the project's information page.