Just Streets Site Visit to Braga

From 16–18 September, CRP joined other Just Streets partners in Braga for a packed programme exploring urban mobility and placemaking.  

The city’s growing quickly, with a young population and a heavy reliance on cars which comprise 71% of trips. Councilwoman Olga Pereira shared how the city is tackling mobility head-on with a new Bus Rapid Transit system, park-and-ride expansion, and a bold project called “Now I Can Get Through” to reclaim Avenida de Liberdade. Even tree roots cracking pavements are part of the challenge. 

A visit to Andre Soares School stood out. With 1,500 students, the city’s trying to make the area safer and greener by removing parking bays, pedestrianising nearby streets, and installing flexible seating in a nearby patch of green. Engaging parents in initiatives like bike trains remains difficult.  

The General Assembly was all strategy: aligning Climate City Contracts with Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, launching follower cities, and planning future missions. Workshops encouraged fresh thinking: from crafting commutes from cultural memory and roleplaying resistant stakeholders to find alternative solutions to re-examining the language we use around mobility. 

We wrapped up with a 3D scan demo of Andre Soares, offering a glimpse into how digital tools can support better planning and community engagement.