Gren Klaipėda bottom ash, for the first time in Lithuania, will be used for bike path construction in Klaipėda

Klaipėda is continuing to improve its infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. Work has recently been completed on Šilutės Avenue, near the “Klaipėdos Energija” company premises, and on Dubysos Street. More than half a kilometre of new paths have been built on Šilutės Avenue and more than 300 meters on Dubysos Street. New lighting has also been installed in both sections.

Sausio 15-osios Street will also be made more convenient for cyclists and pedestrians in the near future. Work is already underway there – a section of almost half a kilometre from the intersection with Taikos Prospect to Tilžės Street is being renovated. The implementation details of this project are somewhat different from the usual practice of building bike paths – for the first time in Lithuania, bottom ash will be used as one of the components of the bike path base.

Arvydas Vaitkus, Mayor of Klaipėda city, commented, “This is a great example of the circular economy. I believe that in the near future, there will be a growing search for ways to find new uses for what seems to be no longer needed. In this case, we are ensuring secondary use by improving the infrastructure for cyclists, which is also very important for the city. We plan to complete the work on Sausio 15-osios Street in the first half of next year, and bike paths are also being built in other parts of the city.”

“About 20-25% of the waste that comes to our plant leaves in the form of bottom ash. We not only treat non-hazardous waste that cannot be recycled and turn it into electricity and heat, but we also produce bottom ash, which is a proven and excellent material suitable for road construction, parking lot construction, tile production or other uses in the construction of various infrastructure objects. This practice has been used for a long time in various European countries,” says Donatas Petronis, Manager of Gren Klaipėda plant.

The paths built on Sausio 15-osios Street are not the only ones this year. In other projects, the usual means for such work are being used. Work has recently started on Baltijos Avenue, in sections from plots 45 to 51A and on the other side of the street – from plots 8A to 8C. Pedestrian and bicycle paths will also be built here, as well as new lighting. In addition, a new connection to Dubysos Street will be built in the middle of Baltijos Avenue this year.

Work is also underway near Sąjūdžio Park: here, from Liubeko Street to the park, a combined pedestrian and bicycle path with lighting is also being built.

The renovation of the bicycle and pedestrian path is also planned on Prano Lideikio Street, along the entire section from Liepojos Street to Molo Street in Melnragė. Public procurement procedures for construction works are currently underway. This is a large-scale project, so work will start here this year and continue next year.