Village road for movement

The project "Village Road for Movement" aims to transform traffic environments in smaller towns and communities, with a focus on state-owned roads that pass through small urban areas. The goal is to improve the living environment and promote active travel by testing and scaling up innovative solutions based on service design and citizen involvement.

The project explores how current working methods and planning models can be developed to enable simple interventions in villages and small towns along state-owned roads, including conducting a real-world pilot test.

Many small towns are intersected by a state-owned road that shapes the local environment—affecting traffic safety, quality of life, and how people move within the area, often designed around the needs of cars. The Swedish Transport Administration holds significant authority over the design of these spaces. The project investigates whether prototyping methods used in large cities can be applied to state-owned roads in smaller towns.

By involving local residents in needs analysis and the design of interventions, the project strives to create solutions that promote gender equality and improve public health. The overarching aim is to reduce car dependency and increase accessibility for all.

The project is carried out through five integrated work packages based on the "Double Diamond" design method, which provides a structured and iterative approach to understanding problems, clarifying needs, and developing and testing solutions. The project is led by Ånge Municipality in collaboration with the Swedish Transport Administration, Region Västernorrland, and RISE. The goal is to create a planning model for simple interventions that can be applied in other locations.

🔹 Long-term goal: To promote public health by increasing active travel and creating an attractive living environment, while reducing car travel in smaller towns and improving accessibility for everyone.

🔹 Project goals: To facilitate active travel and reduce short car trips for all by:

a. Identifying which measures can be implemented within the existing road space, considering current legislation and policy instruments. The project will also clarify the formal conditions for temporary interventions within the road area and adjacent land, and describe identified barriers and enablers.

b. Engaging the local population in needs analysis and the design of interventions. A prototype will be developed and tested in a real traffic environment, and the impact of the solution will be evaluated.

c. Developing a planning model for simple interventions in small towns and villages that can be scaled and applied in many other locations.