ATHENS – The Athens municipality held a teleconference on Monday and gave the green light the implementation of an Athens downtown urban renewal plan.

The plan provides for a 6.8 km-long pedestrianised walk that also includes the Athens historical centre.

National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) professor George Yannis said during the presentation of the plan to the municipal councillors that 50,000 sq.m. of free public space will be made accessible to citizens and visitors upon completion of the project, as well as a new bike lane on Panepistimiou Street, the historic areas of Plaka and the Commercial Triangle, but also Herodou Attikou, Mitropoleos, Ermou and Athinas streets, which will be converted into car-free areas.

This is "a visionary project, which will re-introduce us to the city of Athens," the mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, stressed.