Fostering urban mobility: EU funding for the development of the Drava cycling route

Ljubljana, 26 January 2022 – Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the development of the Drava cycling route in Maribor. Three EU-funded interrelated projects will be implemented by the Urban Municipality of Maribor to contribute to a comprehensive development of the promenade along the Drava River.

Urban Municipality of Maribor will receive funding from the European Regional Development Fund under the Integrated Territorial Investments mechanism to develop a cycling section between the Adamič neighbourhood and the two-storey bridge crossing the Drava River. The bridge is a constituent part of an international cycling connection, i.e. the Drava cycling route which runs through four countries, Italy, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. A link will be established to the footbridge across the Drava River between the neighbourhoods Lent and Tabor, and a cycling track running to the two-storey bridge will be developed as part of the first stage of the project.

In April 2021, Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy approved EU funding for the project Footbridge Lent-Tabor which will also be implemented by Urban Municipality of Maribor. The footbridge will cross the Drava River connecting its left and right bank at the Old Bridge (read more here: https://www.eu-skladi.si/en/in-focus/news/eu-funding-for-constructing-a-footbridge-across-the-drava-river-in-lent-maribor). In December 2021, Urban Municipality of Maribor received EU funding for the project Maribor riverfront redevelopment – Lent which aims to make the famous Lent bank and the promenade along the Drava River a vibrant urban place (read more here: https://www.eu-skladi.si/en/in-focus/news/supporting-town-revitalisation-eu-funding-for-maribor-riverfront-redevelopment-2013-lent-and-promenade-along-the-drava-river). The third project called ITI Maribor Drava cycling route – Stage 1 will top up the municipality’s efforts and pave the way towards a comprehensive development of the promenade along the Drava River.

Overall, Slovenia has earmarked some EUR 130 million in EU funding to support the development of cycling routes across the country in the period 2014-2020. Thus, over 500 kilometers of cycling connections have been developed, completed or improved, of which 114 kilometers with support under the Integrated Territorial Investments mechanism.