The flagship project of the Ministry of Community Development in Ukraine, «Barrier-Free Movement», is gaining momentum across various regions. Pilot cities are actively working on establishing accessible routes, upgrading pedestrian networks, and creating inclusive urban spaces, while monitoring groups assess the quality of the construction works.
In 15 pilot communities, monitoring groups are working on barrier-free routes. These groups consist of representatives from local authorities, regional military administrations, architectural oversight bodies, and project ambassadors.
Experts and community activists check areas where work has been completed or is ongoing, evaluating accessibility, work quality, and compliance with project requirements. If deficiencies are found, contractors are obliged to rectify them.
Monitoring groups serve as a constant control mechanism that ensures transparency in the process, quality in implementation, and public trust in the outcomes.
Famed TV host Konstantin Grubich has become the national ambassador of the «Barrier-Free Movement» initiative. His first visit was to Poltava, the city where he was born. Together with the architect who designed the barrier-free route concept, Konstantin Grubich walked nearly two kilometers, engaging with veterans and residents to witness firsthand the changes in the city and the steps that lie ahead.
In Chernivtsi, major repairs have commenced on the sidewalk from P. Sahaydachny Street to Ukrainian Street. Currently, workers are dismantling the old pavement, followed by the installation of a modern, convenient, and safe sidewalk intended for all residents, particularly for people with disabilities, parents with children, and the elderly.
In Ternopil, the implementation of a project to create a barrier-free space in the city center is ongoing. Work is currently underway on the section from Theatre Square to the regional military administration building. The pedestrian area near Solomiya Krushelnytska Street has already been updated. New paving is being laid between Theatre Square and Julius Słowacki Street, along with the demolition of the old sidewalk near school No. 4.
In Slavutych, construction works have begun within the first phase of the project. Currently, work is taking place on Festival Street, in the area of Dobryninsky Quarter No. 1, and opposite the «Olympic» Sports Complex.
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"Barrier-Free Movement" is the flagship project of the Ministry of Community Development, implemented under the initiative of First Lady Olena Zelenska, "Without Barriers", covering 15 pilot communities where accessible routes are being created. These include Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Ternopil, Lviv, Rivne, Chernivtsi, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Slavutych, Kropyvnytskyi, Bucha, and the villages of Opishnya and Borodyanka.
