Six new ground-level pedestrian crossings to appear in central Kyiv

In Kyiv, the pedestrian traffic scheme around Bessarabska Square will be changed: the underground passages through the Metrograd shopping complex will be duplicated by six ground-level crossings. Work is planned to begin in the near future.

This was reported by Kostyantin Usov, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration for the exercise of self-governing powers.

The new crossings will be equipped across Taras Shevchenko Boulevard, Bessarabskyi Proezd, as well as Velyka Vasylkivska and Baseina streets. For this, the city has already developed and approved a new traffic management scheme, agreed with the patrol police.

The ground-level crossings will be controlled. Traffic and pedestrian traffic lights will be installed, and curbs will be lowered for people with disabilities and other low-mobility groups.

For people with visual impairments, tactile strips and buttons to activate the audible accompaniment of the green traffic light signal are provided.

Separate changes will take place on Bessarabskyi Proezd. A ground-level crossing will appear along Baseina Street, and an additional sidewalk will be arranged on the side of Arena City. It should form a continuous pedestrian route from Lesi Ukrainky Street to Khreshchatyk and Taras Shevchenko Boulevard.

At the same time, traffic lanes on this section will be redistributed and a controlled entrance to the underground parking will be organized.

The city will also reconstruct the existing pedestrian crossing between the Bessarabsky Market and Krutyi Uzviz Street. It will be brought in line with modern accessibility requirements.

A separate parking zone is planned between the Bessarabsky Market and Arena City, including spaces for cars of people with disabilities.

The new scheme also provides for bicycle crossings combined with pedestrian crossings. They will appear across Taras Shevchenko Boulevard, Velyka Vasylkivska, Baseina and Bessarabskyi Proezd.

In total, six new ground-level crossings are planned to be built in the Bessarabsky quarter, and two existing ones reconstructed. The crossing between Khreshchatyk and the Bessarabsky Market already provides a ground-level accessible route.

After the implementation of the project, pedestrians will no longer have to descend into the Metrograd underground passages to cross the streets around the square. The underground routes themselves will be preserved—the ground-level crossings will duplicate them.

The exact timeline for completion of the works has not yet been announced by the Kyiv City State Administration.