Odessa's Commitment to an Accessible City
The city of Odessa is actively adopting modern European standards of accessibility, showcasing a systematic approach to inclusion within the urban environment.
On February 27, during the Executive Committee meeting of the Odessa City Council, the Action Plan for Creating a Barrier-Free Space for 2025–2026 was officially approved. This document outlines a comprehensive transformation of the urban environment — from infrastructure and transport to education, recreation, and digital services.
The plan aims to create an accessible city for individuals with disabilities, elderly people, parents with strollers, and anyone facing barriers in their daily lives. It focuses not only on adapted facilities but also on a cohesive system for convenient movement and interaction with the city. The emphasis is on equal access to transportation, information, education, sports, rehabilitation, and other critical areas.
Oversight of the Plan's implementation is managed by the Barrier-Free Council, which brings together representatives from the city government, veterans, and NGOs, including individuals with disabilities.
“Odessa must be convenient for everyone. We are elevating the topic of accessibility to a new level and integrating it into our strategic vision for the city's development,” said Mayor Gennady Trukhanov.
“We see accessibility as a comprehensive transformation: convenient transport, safe crossings, well-planned stops, and accessible infrastructure. This is not a collection of separate solutions but a unified logic that works for everyone — from people with disabilities to parents with strollers,” emphasized Oleksiy Morozov, Deputy Chair of the Barrier-Free Council.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, the project “Movement Without Barriers” is being implemented. Its strategic significance has been confirmed at the national level: on March 26, a meeting of the National Barrier-Free Council took place with the participation of Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska and Vice Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba.
Special attention has been given to the “North-South” project — one of the flagship routes under the Ministry's initiative “Barrier-Free Routes.” Recently, a section of this route was presented in Odessa to ministry representatives who came from Kyiv. It will run from the Peresyp district to the CNAP on Kosovska Street, becoming part of a new system for accessible urban transportation.
