There are temporary inconveniences at the Green Bridge stop again, after which the stop will finally be renovated: concrete pavement is being laid in this area.
Concreting bus stop entrances is a widespread practice in Europe. Concreting entrances aims to increase the durability of the pavement and its resistance to heavy loads. Buses and trolleybuses, which repeatedly stop at the same places every day, put a lot of strain on the road, especially when braking and starting. Traditional asphalt quickly deforms under such conditions, forming ruts, cracks or potholes. On the other hand, concrete withstands such extreme conditions much better, so its pavement is more stable and durable for many years.
"The Green Bridge stops are one of the main public transport nodes in Vilnius, so the entrances to the stations are exposed to heavy loads. In addition, they are located on an uphill/downhill slope, so the loads are higher than they would be on a flat terrain. Taking into account the recommendations of experts, a concrete coating was installed,” says Gabrielius Grubinskas, Vilnius city municipalities Media relations specialist.
It is true that concreting is more expensive than asphalting. Therefore, for now, the Green Bridge bus stop project can be called a pilot project. If the concrete entrances prove successful, it is likely that such a solution will be implemented in other parts of the city in the future.
"Once the stops are put into operation, the situation will be monitored and, if this measure proves successful in the longer term, such a coating could be applied to stop entrances in other parts of the capital," the specialist comments.
An additional advantage of concrete pavement is its resistance to weather conditions, especially high temperatures. In summer, asphalt can heat up and soften, which can cause damage, while concrete retains its original properties regardless of weather conditions. Therefore, concrete bus stop areas require less frequent repairs, which reduces road infrastructure maintenance costs and inconvenience to public transport passengers.
