--- title: "Centralvägen (Solna)" canonical: https://bilfrittstockholm.org/en/blog/centralvagen-solna-summer-street/ lang: en --- Issue 01 ● Blog September 6, 2026 [← All posts](/en/blog/) # Centralvägen (Solna) September 6, 2026 · Irena Toljan This is a guest post by Irena Toljan. It first appeared in her newsletter [The Third Place](https://tplace.substack.com/p/centralvagen-solna) on September 6, 2026\. She is also on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/irena%5Ftoljan). ![Hand-drawn sketch of Centralvägen with trees, colorful play houses, a slide and a hedge, surrounded by the words flowers, sitting, diversity, kids playing, clean, walking, ice cream, food, access, bike parking, toilet and drinking water.](/images/blog/centralvagen-solna-skiss.webp) Solna’s Centralvägen is a great example of how summer streets can thrive outside of Stockholm’s central districts, like Gamla Stan or Södermalm. While it’s the heart of Solna/Råsunda, it proves that suburban areas can lead the way in creating vibrant, people-first spaces, just as effectively as the city center. It’s the only street I mentioned that creates a great experience by completely closing one side of the road, and that’s why it wins in my book. Unfortunately, the summer is over, and now they are dismantling the space. [Read the post about Nytorget](/en/blog/nytorget-area/) The area was a place where people could meet, relax, and enjoy activities like ping-pong, outdoor dining, and watching football matches. There were events for all ages. To make this lively summer space possible, one lane of Centralvägen was closed to cars. The other lane is open in both directions so everyone can still get through. Parking spaces along the street have been temporarily removed to improve traffic flow, and a bus continues to serve the area as usual. The toilet and water are available in Solna Centrum. This collaboration between Alecta Fastigheter and Solna Stad demonstrates how summer streets can thrive beyond the city center (source 11). ![Before and after on Centralvägen in Solna: in Google Street View a parked car and an open traffic lane outside Solna Centrum, and below the same stretch covered in green play surfaces, colorful wooden house figures and planters.](/images/blog/centralvagen-solna-fore-efter.webp) Despite Sweden’s early exit from the World Cup, the celebrations along Centralvägen’s summer street remain lively. Lillevie Rytting, owner of Lilly’s Bistro, calls the crowd “completely insane”, in the best way. Lilly’s Bistro often exceeds its 200-person capacity, especially during popular World Cup screenings, which attract large audiences and turn the street into a vibrant international scene. “People just want the atmosphere; it’s like being abroad,” Lillevie explains. Extended permits for match screenings until 11 PM on weekdays and midnight on weekends keep the celebratory mood alive. As one visitor put it: “This is the best thing that’s ever happened to Solna.” A true testament to how _sommargågator_ can transform a street into the heart of the community (source 12). ![Four pictures from Centralvägen in Solna: a play area with butterfly decorations and flowers, pallet furniture under string lights, giant street chess, and crowds at a World Cup screening.](/images/blog/summer-streets-centralvagen.webp) But I need to say that the street was not perfect. Bike parking was blocked in some parts of the summer street, which made shopping in Solna Centrum harder for some visitors. Even when the crowds were big because of the football matches, it was still not really disruptive for bike parking. Luckily, there is one installed across the street, but in my opinion, all of it should have stayed open. ![Three photos of bike parking on Centralvägen: bikes crowded into a small rack under a tree, bike stands blocked by wooden pallet benches, and a pink sign reading "Avstängd cykelparkering" (bike parking closed) that points to other racks by the mall entrance, across the street and by the city hall entrance.](/images/blog/centralvagen-solna-cykelparkering.webp) We are done with the cool streets! These streets show that prioritizing people over cars works, but only if the rules support it. **In [Part 8](/en/blog/summer-streets-untapped-potential/)**, we’ll look at the streets with untapped potential, the ones that could be great but are held back by traffic, poor design, or lack of community engagement. What’s stopping them from reaching their full potential? _Which of these summer streets have you visited? Which one surprised you the most?_ ## Sources 1. Admin (2024). [Cyclists and Pedestrians Contribute Significantly to City Centre Spending](https://dutchcycling.nl/knowledge/blogs-by-experts/cyclists-and-pedestrians-contribute-significantly-to-city-centre-spending/). Dutch Cycling Embassy. Accessed 27 July 2026. 2. Debattredaktionen (2026). [Låt fakta och inte magkänsla styra stadsutvecklingen](https://www.di.se/debatt/lat-fakta-och-inte-magkansla-styra-stadsutvecklingen/). Dagens industri. Accessed 27 July 2026. 3. [The Power of 10+](https://www.pps.org/article/the-power-of-10). Project for Public Spaces. Accessed 27 July 2026. 4. [Gatupotential](https://www.spacescape.se/project/gatupotential/) (2025–2026). Spacescape. Accessed 27 July 2026. 5. [Ny bryggpromenad och upprustad strandpark på Bergsunds strand](https://vaxer.stockholm/projekt/sodermalm/bryggpromenad-och-upprustad-strandpark-pa-bergsunds-strand/) (2026). Stockholms stad. Accessed 28 July 2026. 6. [Munkbrohamnen](https://www.visitstockholm.se/o/munkbrohamnen/). Visit Stockholm. Accessed 28 July 2026. 7. Miljöpartiet Stockholms stad on Instagram: “Sommargågatan Rörstrandsgatan är ett av Stockholms livligaste stråk som 12 000 personer passerar varje dag.” (2025). Instagram. 8. [Rörstrandsgatan blir gågata året om](https://vaxer.stockholm/projekt/vasastan/rorstrandsgatan-blir-gagata-aret-om/) (2026). Stockholms stad. Accessed 28 July 2026. 9. [Levande Stockholm 2018: Resultatrapport](https://insynsverige.se/documentHandler.ashx?did=1957125). Stockholms stad. Accessed 28 July 2026. 10. [En del av Hornsgatan blir gågata året om](https://vaxer.stockholm/projekt/sodermalm/en-del-av-hornsgatan-blir-gagata-aret-om/) (2026). Stockholms stad. Accessed 28 July 2026. 11. [Sommargågata](https://www.solna.se/uppleva--gora/sommar-i-solna/sommargagata) (2026). Solna stad. Accessed 28 July 2026. 12. [Trots utslaget Sverige: här fortsätter VM-festen](https://www.mitti.se/nyheter/trots-utslaget-sverige--har-fortsatter-vmfesten-6.3.374110.4c14442557) (2026). Mitt i. Accessed 28 July 2026. 13. Saber, Joanna (2017). En plats att vara på: den tillfälliga gågatans inverkan på Stockholms stads- och näringsliv. Master’s thesis, KTH School of Architecture and the Built Environment. 14. [Stockholms Handelskammare välkomnar stöd för ljudisolering och kulturliv i Stockholm](https://stockholmshandelskammare.se/nyheter/stockholms-handelskammare-valkomnar-forslag-om-dunka-dunkastod/) (2026). Stockholms Handelskammare. Accessed 21 August 2026. ## Read next [Sep 22, 2026● Summer streetsThe Dark Side of Data and ConclusionThe last part of the summer street series takes a critical look at the Gatupotential report's numbers, with Malmskillnadsgatan as the oddball, and sums up what makes a summer street work. A guest post by Irena Toljan on overhyped data with holes.9 min read](/en/blog/the-dark-side-of-data/)[Sep 12, 2026● Summer streetsThe Rest: Summer Streets with Untapped PotentialNot every summer street in Stockholm is a roaring success. A guest post by Irena Toljan on five summer streets that fall short, from Nybrogatan's traffic chaos to a deserted Kista torg, and what could fix them.8 min read](/en/blog/summer-streets-untapped-potential/)[Aug 30, 2026● Summer streetsNytorget areaThe Nytorget area, with Skånegatan at its heart, is the most successful summer street area in Stockholm. A guest post by Irena Toljan on more pedestrians and restaurants, suspiciously perfect survey results, and why the scale of the area makes it work.4 min read](/en/blog/nytorget-area/) Get involved Want to help make Stockholm a better city? [Get involved →](/engagera/)