The residents of Pilaitė publicly complain about the dangerous turn, where, according to them, various accidents happen all the time. According to them, the recent construction of the IKI store has provided a turning point. However, in such a place where visibility is limited - the crossing is blocked by the entrance to the underground pedestrian crossing, so drivers do not always manage to react in time. However, the opinion of the municipality is different.
Residents started to publicly share the news about this crossing after a traffic accident in which a scooter rider was injured. However, the municipality itself claims that it has not received complaints from residents regarding the safety of this intersection and road users. Otherwise, the reaction might be different.
"Vehicles turn from Pilaitė Avenue to Papilėnai Street making a turn of approximately 90 degrees, so their speed during the maneuver is minimal. After making the turn, there is enough distance to the bicycle crossing and the pedestrian crossing for the driver to assess the situation and stop the vehicle if there is an obstacle on the road", says Gabrielius Grubinskas, Vilnius city municipalities Media relations specialist.
Although residents claim that the crossing is unsafe, the municipality has a different opinion. First of all, the safety of cyclists is taken care of - a speed bump is installed. Cyclists must reduce their speed before the intersection with Papilėnai Street. The municipality claims that it has not forgotten about pedestrian safety either.
"In order to increase the safety of pedestrians, so that they can be sure that it is safe to cross the street, the pedestrian crossing is not located directly in front of the entrance to the underground pedestrian crossing," says the representative of the municipality.
If residents have comments regarding the insecurity of the intersection, they can directly forward them to the municipality, which will analyze the situation and make appropriate decisions. Not only for the mentioned case, but also for all other infrastructure issues in Vilnius.
