Schools play a central role in urban spaces, often serving as a second home for children. But modern cities can struggle with heavy traffic and congestion, particularly around school zones. Heavy traffic not only puts children at risk but also contributes to air and noise pollution, making the journey to school stressful and unsafe. Both Barcelona and Milan saw the need to address this challenge by reimagining school environments as safe havens that would not only meet children’s educational needs, but also their health and well-being.

CIMNE’s innovation unit for transport, CENIT, has participated in the EIT Urban Mobility-funded KidsFirst (K1) project, an initiative aimed at transforming the immediate surroundings of schools in selected areas of Barcelona and Milan, offering safer, greener, and more convenient areas for children, their families, and the community.

CIMNE coordinated a team of four partners, including the City Councils of Barcelona and Milan, and Milan’s Agency for Mobility, Environment, and Territory, to achieving targeted results in traffic-calming and enhanced safety measures. These included the expansion of green public spaces and the installation of benches and better street lighting.

Barcelona’s Approach

In Barcelona, the KidsFirst project complemented the city's "Protegim les escoles" strategy, which aimed to make school zones safer and more sustainable. One of the key transformation zones was around Casas Primary School, located next to the city’s Gran Via, a historically congested highway with six lanes and over 100,000 vehicles passing every day. Noise levels used to reach 90dB in this area, but thanks to a new tunnel, opened in April 2022, traffic has been diverted. This has enabled the creation of pedestrian-friendly streets and public spaces near the school, dramatically improving safety and liveability.

Barcelona’s urban planners, along with the CENIT team at CIMNE, incorporated tactical urbanism to reduce traffic, add greenery, and introduce elements like benches to encourage community interaction. The project was completed in December 2022 and now serves as a model for future urban transformations across the city.

KidsFirst in Milan

Meanwhile, in Milan, the Piazze Aperte and Strade Aperte tactical urbanism programmes have expanded into school zones. This initiative aligned with the city's vision of a “15-minute city”, a concept that prioritises accessibility and encourages the development of high-quality public spaces within a short walk or bike ride from residents' homes.

These initiatives, supported by EIT Urban Mobility, reflect a broader vision of sustainable urban living, prioritising safety and community well-being. The KidsFirst project sets an example for other cities aiming to enhance the liveability of public spaces, particularly around schools.