Iceland review - 2004, Page 79

REYKJAVÍK – PURE ENERGY / 77
sunny day, Reykjavík residents kick their shoes off
and walk barefoot on the soft white sand that’s been
sprinkled along the shore.
Stopping traffic
People always take note of construction inside a city.
Let’s face it, those trucks, detours and cranes can be
one big pain in the neck.
“They notice the potholes and the construction
going on, but when it’s finished they tend not to
notice the improvements,” says Stefánsson.
But sometimes sidewalks need to be fixed, and roads
sometimes need to be rerouted.
Take Hringbraut, one of Reykjavík’s busiest high-
ways. At the moment, it runs past Landspítali, the old
hospital on the outskirts of the city centre. Since the
road is so busy, traffic congests in front of the hospi-
tal, which anyone who’s ridden in an ambulance can
understand is not a good thing. Bring on the
Environment and Technical Sector. Underway is a
project that will reroute the road behind the hospi-
tal, opening yet another new green space in town,
and a pedestrian area for hospital staff. Like most
construction here in Iceland the project is expected
to speed along, and should be completed by next
summer.
As you walk through Reykjavík, take a look at how
the sidewalk colours as you approach the street, and
the texture of the stones begin to change. Also
notice the gradual slope downward as the curb
meets the street. “So what?” you say. Well, these
subtle modifications make all the difference in the
world to residents with disabilities. The coloured
stones are for the sight impaired, and the slopes are
for those who move more gingerly than most. The
designs are all part of a program the Environmental
and Technical Sector undertook to make Reykjavík
more liveable for everyone.
From smoothing out traffic flows to landscaping
around the homes of the elderly to designing and
building new schools for kindergartners who will one
day take part in the summer work school program,
the Environment and Technical Sector touches
Icelanders of all ages.
“We’re involved in the full circle of life,” says
Stefánsson.
And they often do it subtly, without anyone noticing.
For more information on the Environmental and Technical
Sector, log on to www.reykjavik.is/ut
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