AZE.US
Baku plans to reduce the speed limit to 50 kilometers per hour in the central part of the city under the capital’s long-term development strategy through 2040.
The measure is part of a broader urban redesign aimed at expanding pedestrian infrastructure, improving road safety and creating a more comfortable environment for people moving through the city on foot.
Transport experts say the move is intended to cut the number of traffic accidents and reduce the severity of collisions, especially in areas with heavy pedestrian activity. The idea reflects a wider international approach to urban mobility, where slower traffic in city centers is seen as a way to save lives and make public space safer.
According to experts, the changes will focus on the parts of central Baku where pedestrianization is already under discussion or may be expanded in the coming years. These include the area commonly referred to as Torgovaya, Nizami Street, nearby parallel streets, and the former Sovetsky district, where a new stage of demolition and redevelopment is beginning.
Some streets may eventually face partial or even full restrictions on vehicle traffic. The concept behind the plan is to build a more pedestrian-oriented city center, with continuous walking routes and fewer conflict points between cars and people crossing the road.
Experts say the pedestrian zones that already exist in the capital of Azerbaijan could eventually cover a much wider area. Among the places mentioned in the discussion are the area around Gosha Gala and several streets parallel to Fizuli Street, including areas near Islam Safarli Street. Additional streets are also believed to be under consideration for future redesign.
Preliminary estimates suggest that around 10 more streets could be added to the broader pedestrianization push, although no official list has yet been released.
The overall goal is to make movement through central Baku safer, calmer and more convenient. For drivers, that would mean lower speeds and tighter access in some areas. For pedestrians, it would mean a city center designed less around cars and more around people.