The Mayor of Sector 2, Radu Mihaiu, believes that doubling the number of parking spaces in Bucharest will require an expenditure of approximately 2.7 billion euros, which represents the investment budget of the PMB and the municipalities of the sector for the next six years.

According to the mayor, even under these conditions, the total number of parking spaces will reach 500,000 spaces if there are 1.5 million cars in Bucharest. Radu Mihaiu presents these calculations after a few days ago he called for a reduction in the number of cars and support for public transport, but his point of view drew criticism, according to Agerpres.

“The other day I wrote about the philosophy of parking lots. Many criticized me. I was told that I should do what the people want. Where do people park their cars? That it is necessary to build parking lots first, and then talk. That’s why I decided to present you with some numbers,” writes Radu Mihayu on Facebook.

Radu Mihayu: Despite this, in six years there will be a deficit of 1 million parking spaces

The mayor reminds that the city hall of sector 3 built an underground parking lot for 700 places in Decebal at a total cost of 21 million euros (30 thousand euros per built parking space). The city hall also built 500 parking spaces on Cora Pantelimon for 13 million euros, that is, 26,000 euros per parking space. Radu Mihaiu adds that even at three times the lower price, the creation of 270,000 parking spaces would require spending 2.7 billion euros without taking into account the purchase of any land.

“€2.7 billion means the investment budget of Bucharest (PMB + sector municipalities) for the next 6 years. Years during which neither the boulevard, nor the tram, nor the hospital, nor the park, nor the heating network improved. Not a single block will be blocked off, no school will be modernized, no kindergarten will be built. Not a single block of social housing was built. There is no bike lane. No building with a seismic risk will be strengthened,” explains Mihayu.

Even under such conditions, in six years there will be a deficit of 1 million parking spaces. The mayor notes that all sectors are building new parking spaces, but there are “not enough” of them, because there is not enough space where it is needed, in places of traffic jams.

According to Councilor Mihaj, in order to reduce this deficit, such measures as: improvement of public transport, creation of bicycle paths, urban planning, in which all interesting objects are within walking distance, are necessary. He notes that it is necessary to build parking spaces where the terrain allows, but illegal parking should be discouraged and the use of cars in public places should be taxed.

Radu Mihayu: Bucharest is practically occupied by cars

Four days ago, Radu Mihaiu said that Bucharest is “practically obsessed with cars”, but also that for many Bucharest residents, the personal car is “protection against the aggression” of the city.

“We look at the city as an adversary, as an aggressor from whom we have to defend ourselves. It can’t last forever. The time of trouble between the city and its inhabitants must pass, and it will pass. Our duty is to encourage people to understand, accept and love their community. (…) We can no longer accept that parking a car in public places is free or almost free. Because this storage costs us all. Health, well-being, community spirit and standard of living. Today there is a lot of talk about parking lots. This is a welcome discussion. We have to decide if we want Bucharest to become a huge free parking lot or if we want it to be a real city like we see in the West,” he said.