Braga, Portugal

General description

The city of Braga is located in the northern part of Portugal, it has a population of about 200 thousand inhabitants and an area of 183.5 km². With roots dating back to Roman times, the city was also known as Bracara Augusta.

Braga is viewed as a vibrant and dynamic city, with relevant historical heritage and a rich cultural scene, and ranked high in terms of quality of life for its residents. The high level of satisfaction of residents, among other factors, is related to the efforts focusing on urban planning strategies and implemented projects to enhance the quality of life for residents. In the past years, the city of Braga has stood out for its advocacy regarding mobility initiatives and innovative solutions, for instance,  implementing the SchoolBus project, mobility awareness actions, launching a shared electric bicycles system, measures to redistribute public space, improve safety and planning for pedestrian and cyclists.

mobility goals

Mobility developments in Braga in recent years have focused on addressing the implementation of smart traffic signalization, expansion of cycling Infrastructure, introduction of shared electric bicycles, enhanced public transport Integration, development of mobility hubs, adoption of urban mobility data platforms and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project.

The city’s vision for mobility in the area revolve around efforts to promote the use of bicycles and eco-friendly mobility, implement intelligent traffic management systems to optimise traffic flow and reduce congestion, integrate various modes for an intermodal transportation, enhance public transportation and foster partnerships for innovative initiatives.

 

Population 

  • 200,000

Area (km2)

  • 183.5

modal split (2021)

  • Private vehicle - 70.01%
  • Public transport - 11.44%
  • Walking and cycling - 16.18%

Challenges:

  • Tackling traffic congestion

  • Public transport optimisation

  • Creating accessible infrastructure for cycling and walking 

  • Actionable steps in decarbonizing the transportation sector

European Union

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement No. 101103924. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

CIVITAS
Mission Cities

REALLOCATE is a project under the CIVITAS Initiative, an EU-funded programme working to make sustainable and smart mobility a reality for all, and contributes to the goals of the EU Mission Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.