OREANDA-NEWS. March 3, 2010. City authorities have decided to suspend the all-inclusive improvement of Arbat Street in downtown Moscow till 2012 due to the shortage of funding.

According to a source from City Hall, the relevant order has been signed by Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

The official added that city authorities had originally planned to create a new pedestrian area featuring a special decorative appearance and a heated surface on Arbat Street by 2011.

Besides, it was planned to arrange green spaces of a different kind throughout the street and open retail outlets and pavement cafes of a single design.