In Irkutsk, the authorities again decided to make Uritsky Street pedestrian only, a barrier will be installed at the entrance, and car access will be allowed only from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. This should finally solve the problem, because the busy shopping street with many pedestrians, including children, kept turning into a dangerous area.

The authorities have already tried to make Uritskogo Street, where many shops and shopping centers are concentrated, pedestrian-only: both concrete barriers and barriers were installed, but in the end both were removed. Now cars drive along it constantly. If you take into account the number of pedestrians on it, especially on weekends, a rather dangerous situation is created.
It is worth noting that the prohibitory “brick” sign has been hanging here for several years already, but it does not bother Irkutsk drivers much; neither fines nor the threat of losing their licenses frighten them. To avoid weaving through the central traffic jams, many take the risk and break the rules. The street, which is used by many pedestrians, often with children, is lined with makeshift parking, and cars are literally stepping on the heels of those walking.
Why was the barrier removed?
The city mayor Vladimir Yakubovsky comments on the situation as follows:
-Entrepreneurs from Uritskogo, who once installed it themselves, removed the barrier. Because of this barrier, there was a constant traffic jam of cars on Uritskogo: after all, it stood not at the beginning of the street, but in the middle. Cars literally did not let pedestrians through.
But traffic police officers could be on duty on the street, and they are not visible here now. Why?
According to the head of the Irkutsk traffic police, such measures are also impractical.
-Traffic police crews must work in places with a high accident rate. In Irkutsk there are 174 such hotspots. Uritskogo Street is not among them. I cannot pull my employees away from dangerous sections and send them to work on a street where not a single traffic accident has been recorded in all these years. We tried to stop vehicle traffic on Uritskogo by other methods. We put up barriers. But problems arose with the entry of cleaning equipment. Therefore, at the request of the city authorities, these barriers were removed. We tried installing metal posts — they are cut down. I personally did the welding for these barriers, but they do not last long. I fully understand that it is inconvenient for the owners of the shops located on this street to deliver goods during the permitted hours for driving — from eight in the evening to eight in the morning, so they do it during the daytime. We proposed that the city administration install barriers at both ends of the street, but we found no understanding. The issue still has not been resolved. Although, in my opinion, this measure would be the most effective.
But one way or another, the authorities understand that the problem exists and that it must be solved.
Yesterday it became known that Vladimir Viktorovich Yakubovsky ordered a barrier to be installed, and now it will be located at the entrance to the street, rather than in the middle as before.
-We agreed with the traffic police officers that, at municipal expense, we would install a barrier right at the entrance to Uritskogo Street,- V. Yakubovsky explained.
Thus, the shopping street will still become pedestrian-only. Cars will be allowed to drive along it only from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. There will be no special passes; the only exception will be 2 vehicles from special units.