This is a guest post by Irena Toljan. It first appeared in her newsletter The Third Place on August 30, 2026. She is also on Instagram.

Last time we discussed Swedenborgsgatan, and this time we will stay on Södermalm island. The Nytorget area, with the well-known street Skånegatan, is the most successful summer place in Stockholm Stad.

Hand-drawn sketch of a summer street with orange buildings, bunting, tall trees and people walking, surrounded by the words toilet, drinking water, walking, access, kids play, flowers, diversity, clean, sitting, bike parking and food.

Pedestrian traffic has increased by 40% since the area became a popular pedestrian zone. People are now spending 50% more time here, attracting around 2,000 extra visitors each day. It’s great to see shorter stops turning into longer, enjoyable moments, with many people gathering in the comfortable outdoor seating areas. Additionally, motor vehicle traffic has dropped by 30%, and cars are moving more slowly (source 4). This makes our streets safer and more welcoming!

The economic impact is equally impressive. Over four years, the number of restaurants has grown by 36%, while traditional retail (sällanköp) has declined by 25%. Jobs in the area have increased by 22%, and workplaces by 10%, with 64% of businesses now being restaurants. Locals and visitors alike praise the area’s vibrancy, with 100% of survey respondents saying it’s a place where people want to gather, and nearly all feeling safe both day and night (source 4).

‘I Origos enkät från 2019 säger 100 % av besökarna att det är en plats där människor vill vistas och umgås.’

I am a bit suspicious of these Soviet Union-style statistics. Nothing is ever 100%.

The complaints? There’s some noise from bars and ongoing parking issues, but let’s be real: if you own a car here, you’re a time traveler from 1950 who missed the memo about walkable cities.

Excerpt from the street league: Skånegatan scores 56.8 out of 100 and ranks 134 of 859, with air quality 44, traffic volume 46 (1,159 vehicles a day), noise 51 (57.1 dBA), city life 76 (8 shops, 17 restaurants) and trees 61.

The numbers come from the street league, where Skånegatan ranks 134 of 859.

Stockholm city chart: residents asked whether the summer street makes their street a more attractive place to live. Hornsbergs Strand is most positive at 87 percent, the city as a whole 75 percent, while Skånegatan is most negative with 47 percent positive and 46 percent negative out of 145 answers.

Skånegatan seems noisier than other streets

Public toilets, water fountains, and scale

What sets the Nytorget area apart is its scale and practicality. Unlike other summer streets, this area spans multiple blocks, creating a cohesive pedestrian network that includes Skånegatan, Nytorget, Katarina Bangata, and many more streets. And yes, it even has a drinking fountain and public toilet, though at 5 SEK per visit. With strong public support for more art and activities, Skånegatan proves that pedestrian-first urban design doesn’t just work; it thrives.

Before and after on Skånegatan at Nytorget: Google Street View from 2014 with parked cars and vans along the park on top, and from 2024 with outdoor seating, pedestrians and a single car below.

Before and after of Skånegatan

Eight pictures from the Nytorget area: an ornate public toilet, bike parking, a crowded Skånegatan under bunting, wicker play huts, outdoor cafés with planters, the corner at Nytorget 6 and a street party under flags.

Sources

  1. Admin (2024). 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. Dagens industri. Accessed 27 July 2026.
  3. The Power of 10+. Project for Public Spaces. Accessed 27 July 2026.
  4. Gatupotential (2025–2026). Spacescape. Accessed 27 July 2026.
  5. Ny bryggpromenad och upprustad strandpark på Bergsunds strand (2026). Stockholms stad. Accessed 28 July 2026.
  6. 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 (2026). Stockholms stad. Accessed 28 July 2026.
  9. Levande Stockholm 2018: Resultatrapport. Stockholms stad. Accessed 28 July 2026.
  10. En del av Hornsgatan blir gågata året om (2026). Stockholms stad. Accessed 28 July 2026.
  11. Sommargågata (2026). Solna stad. Accessed 28 July 2026.
  12. Trots utslaget Sverige: här fortsätter VM-festen (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 (2026). Stockholms Handelskammare. Accessed 21 August 2026.