Active Mobility as Support for Territorial Regeneration of the Veneto Foothill Territory

The recovery and enhancement of territorial infrastructures, supported
by an integrated and collaborative approach, represent an effective strategy for
promoting new forms of territorial regeneration starting from mobility system
reconceptualization and paradigms oriented towards active mobility as tools for
collective well-being and urban resilience. The issue arises with particular urgency
in low-density territories, which remain dependent on car use and neglected by
alternative mobility policies. Active mobility, primarily walking and cycling, is
recognized by European regulations as a key factor for improving public health, as
highlighted by the European Declaration On Cycling since 2022. The objective of
this proposal is to analyze the role of existing infrastructures in the Veneto foothill
region to assess their potential in supporting active mobility. The study focuses
on the possibility of repurposing and integrating these infrastructures to develop
a sustainable, and less car-dependent mobility system. This approach analyzes
the “Active Mobility Workshop” promoted by the Fondazione Palazzo Festari
(Valdagno, Vicenza) as a significant experience of participatory planning and
inter-municipal cooperation. It is anticipated that the regeneration of the existing
infrastructure network, combined with urban space redevelopment policies and
the enhancement of public transport, can improve public health by promoting
physical activity. This approach also contributes to the sustainable management of
territorial resources by optimizing the maintenance of the road and river network.
The contribution highlights how these approaches can provide replicable tools for
large scale territorial regeneration and road and river networks maintenance.