VILNIUS - In 2008, Vilnius City Council received more than 5 thousand applications from local districts and residents to perform a number of outdoor renovation projects.
Applicants were hoping to make courtyard improvement projects, upgrade sidewalks, plant trees in yards and build new parking areas next to their places of residence.
These projects will be partially financed by the city. Vilnius Mayor Juozas Imbrasas said 17 million litas are earmarked for courtyard improvement projects in 2008.
The city also plans to spend about 3 million litas on new street lamps, repairing existing lighting fixtures and improving roadways into courtyard areas in Vilnius. The city plans to upgrade about 93 square kilometers of roads, pedestrian paths, and sidewalks this year.
It is worth noting that these projects largely depend on initiative coming from the city district authorities and private citizens. In 2007, 196 courtyard areas in Vilnius covering about 123 square meters had undergone major renovations.
In addition to this, the city of Vilnius has declared April to be the month of cleaning for public areas and parks. Gardening cooperatives in suburbs are also invited to clean their territories and adjacent woodland areas.
To follow the tradition established decades ago, the city calls on students, pensioners and all responsible citizens to put their effort together to make Vilnius greener and cleaner in 2008. One of the greenest capitals of Europe, Vilnius covers the area of 402 square kilometers. Parks and woodlands account for 44 percent of city territory.
The Vilnius City Municipality invited Lithuanian businesses and road construction firms from neighboring countries to make bids for road improvement tenders in the city. The goal is to increase competitiveness and reduce costs.
The biggest road improvement projects in Vilnius are the reconstruction of Gelezinio Vilko Street, from the intersection with Mokyklos street to the Moletai highway, and reconstruction of a cross-over at the intersection of Dariaus and Gireno streets. Both projects are partially financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
