"In May this year, Parisians voted to close 500 streets to traffic across all 20 arrondissements. London is moving forward with plans to pedestrianize sections of the world-famous Oxford Street, as well as Regent Street, and Piccadilly Circus. Meanwhile, Barcelona's centuries-old promenade, La Rambla, is in the last stretches of a long-term redesign that will be completed in 2027, widening the pedestrian promenade and limiting access to residents' vehicles and public transport."
"Ever since cars became dominant in the 1950s, urban thinkers like Jane Jacobs and Jan Gehl have argued for cities designed around people, not vehicles. The conversation is still timely. According to several experts interviewed for this story, the tides are shifting. "I think we are certainly seeing momentum in the car-free or car-lite movement," says Ben Crowther, policy director for the nonprofit America Walks."
Major cities worldwide are expanding pedestrianized streets as climate change, congestion, and air pollution shift urban priorities. Paris approved closing 500 streets; London plans to pedestrianize Oxford Street, Regent Street, and Piccadilly Circus; Barcelona is widening La Rambla with limited vehicle access by 2027. Several U.S. cities, including Bentonville and Houston, will permanently reduce or remove car traffic on select streets beginning in 2026. Federal funding still flows heavily to roads, even as some previously awarded bike, trail, and pedestrian grants were withdrawn. Momentum for car-free and car-lite urban design is building, reflecting long-standing calls for people-centered cities.
Read at Fast Company
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