Bologna to become first major 30 km/h city in Italy

The aim of the authorities is to have this transformation accomplished by 2024

Bologna Città 30 is the name of the Italian city’s new traffic plan, which aims to make its streets calmer, safer and more livable by next year. The 30 in the name refers to the maximum speed limit that will be allowed on its territory.

This would make Bologna, the largest city in Italy that will enforce the 30 km/h speed limit almost entirely. The basis has been laid, as the capital of Emilia Romagna region already features Zone 30, which covers about a third of the urban road network.

The new speed limit will probably not be applied only on a few major thoroughfares; however, the plan is to make 90% of the perimeter of the most densely populated part of the city fall under the traffic speed restriction.

How do you slow down a whole city?

Since this is a historical, and even cultural change, which will involve a gradual modification of habits for road users, the Administration has decided not to start immediately with the sanctions linked to the new speed limits. The authorities will provide a 6-month grace period to carry out a major campaign to raise awareness and inform citizens, also through initiatives by the local police force.

From July to September, the Sustainable Mobility Sector will proceed with the installation of horizontal and vertical signs and will adopt the related road ordinances which will come into force starting from 1 January 2024. 

More than 500 vertical signs and 300 road surface signs will be installed and painted respectively, in order to indicate the new speed. The repetition of tarmac painted signs was shown to improve and instil understanding in the minds of drivers about the new speed limit.

Above all, Bologna Città 30 means rethinking the urban space to promote a transformation in the way of using the city. The project envisages a series of innovative interventions for the modification of the public space which will have the task of harmonizing the environment and the urban space to a new dimension of proximity.