Prague 1 to Calm Petrská Quarter: Less Through Traffic, More Quality of Life

The Prague 1 district plans a comprehensive traffic-calming scheme in the Petrská Quarter. By restricting through traffic, the aim is to reduce the burden on residents and noticeably improve the quality of life in the densely populated area.

Specifically, a full-day traffic restriction is planned for the entire Petrská čtvrť (Petrská Quarter). The measure aims to significantly reduce the through traffic that has been a long-standing problem. The initiative builds on the nightly entry ban for large parts of central Prague 1, which has been in place since summer 2024 in the area between Revoluční, Celetná, and Pařížská Streets, as well as along the Vltava, and which the city administration reports has proven effective.

The planned extension to the Petrská čtvrť was prompted by repeated discussions between Prague 1’s Councillor for Transport, Vojtěch Ryvola, and local residents, professional consultations, and several traffic studies.

The Petrská Quarter is the most densely populated part of Prague 1 and is frequently used as a detour during congestion along the Vltava. Traffic counts have shown that up to two-thirds of vehicles passing through the area have no destination there. It is precisely this through traffic that the new scheme is designed to target.

In future, “No Entry for Motor Vehicles” signs, with the addition “Residents Excepted”, will be installed at all access points. Residents, their visitors, delivery and service vehicles, tradespeople, taxis with a specific fare, and guests of accommodation establishments will still be able to enter freely. Drivers using the quarter merely as a shortcut will, however, be affected.

Resident Access Remains Unrestricted

For residents, daily life will not change, emphasises Ryvola. Anyone with a legitimate reason to enter the Petrská čtvrť will still be able to do so. The restrictions apply solely to through traffic.

Another effect of the measure: the quarter should disappear from navigation systems as a recommended through route. A traffic ban works not only in practice but also psychologically – navigation apps will no longer direct drivers through a residential area just to save a minimal amount of time.

The traffic-calming scheme is also a prerequisite set by Prague’s transport authority for granting the building permit for the planned redevelopment of Na Poříčí and Revoluční Streets. In the long term, this is intended to pave the way for two modern urban main thoroughfares.

The consultation period for the proposal is still ongoing and will end in the first week of February. The feedback will then be evaluated, and the new signage installed.