Pushing back on cars is gaining traction in many parts of the world. Even some cities in the US are pushing back. The need for open spread out space during the Covid Epidemic lead to many cities closing off car streets for bikes, walking, play. Some of those street have since returned to cars. A few have remained car free.
There are several cities in Europe that are serious about reducing the number of cars on streets, parking, commuting. Paris has been in the forefront of pushing back on cars during the mayorship of socialist party member Anne Hidalgo. She has been mayor since 2014 and has been an advocate of reducing the impact of cars from the beginning of her terms.
She has been mayor through covid, the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Paris Olympics in 2024. She has not been universally popular, few politicians are but she has been consistent with efforts to push back on cars.
The fotos here show what one aspect of pushing back on cars can look like. Paris is a very densely populated city and like nearly all cities post WW II, has been plundered by the rise of the automobile. Paris streets are winding, there is essentially no grid in the central part of Paris. I have bike a good deal in Paris. It is not a bike rider's paradise but the efforts to make bike riding safe is remarkable. Bike lanes have been carved out or major streets, on the sides of streets, on promenades, in the middle of streets. My favorite location is along the Seine River. A former car boulevard on prime real estate along the River is now car free for miles.
This account is about school streets. Most schools in the more dense part of Paris do not have grassy playgrounds and open space. I have freinds with a school age daughter and she goes to an elementary school only two very urban blocks away. The street is not a busy through street but cars park all along the street and up untill the past couple years, on the street up to the school.
When I visited in 2023, there were already street interventions on the block that included the school. There were large tree planters, paint and some movable barricades. My friends told me, they and many other parents wanted to have a car free street in front of the school. Then even had demos. And my friends are car free. Presently, work is nearing completion of their dream come true. Cars will not be allowed on the block where the school is. See the fotos below.
Among the other street interventions to elevate bikes, transit and walking, the city has a specific program to close off streets in front of some 500 plus schools. Hundreds of those projects have already been completed, my friends' street adding to the completed category.
Almost all of those streets would have been used for street parking. Not surprisingly, those people parking their cars would not likely be enthusiastic about losing the parking spaces. The city made efforts to be "kind" to the drivers explaining there is a higher value to those school streets. Fences would go up first, some paint, these are movable interventions used as a test to see how the changes work. Something like in Barcelona with their super blocks. Soft interventions first, more permanent later if that looks ok.
In Paris, 1000s of kids now have more space to play. Its safer, the air is better, there's less noise. Kids are not be endangered by cars. More kids can walk to school. The school street typically features landscaping, even raised beds for the kids to cultivate some plants.
Completed school streets have become neighborhood amenities. People gather, there are bikes, strollers. Some of the school streets even have big play boxes that open up after school and are full of toys, trikes and games kids and parents can use for the afternoon. Many school streets have games and decorations painted on the pavement. Parents meet parents. Civic culture receives a boost. There are several before and after fotos below. The transformations are simply inspiring.
School streets in Paris, before and after below. Large foto,, Paris is densely populated. There are wonderful large parks and open spaces but there is need for smaller neighborhood spaces. School streets are perfect. All but one foto below are screen grabs from youtube or a Paris website sent to me by friends. The first pair of fotos are my friend's place. At the bottom, you can see the inside of a school street toy box.
There are several cities in Europe that are serious about reducing the number of cars on streets, parking, commuting. Paris has been in the forefront of pushing back on cars during the mayorship of socialist party member Anne Hidalgo. She has been mayor since 2014 and has been an advocate of reducing the impact of cars from the beginning of her terms.
She has been mayor through covid, the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Paris Olympics in 2024. She has not been universally popular, few politicians are but she has been consistent with efforts to push back on cars.
The fotos here show what one aspect of pushing back on cars can look like. Paris is a very densely populated city and like nearly all cities post WW II, has been plundered by the rise of the automobile. Paris streets are winding, there is essentially no grid in the central part of Paris. I have bike a good deal in Paris. It is not a bike rider's paradise but the efforts to make bike riding safe is remarkable. Bike lanes have been carved out or major streets, on the sides of streets, on promenades, in the middle of streets. My favorite location is along the Seine River. A former car boulevard on prime real estate along the River is now car free for miles.
This account is about school streets. Most schools in the more dense part of Paris do not have grassy playgrounds and open space. I have freinds with a school age daughter and she goes to an elementary school only two very urban blocks away. The street is not a busy through street but cars park all along the street and up untill the past couple years, on the street up to the school.
When I visited in 2023, there were already street interventions on the block that included the school. There were large tree planters, paint and some movable barricades. My friends told me, they and many other parents wanted to have a car free street in front of the school. Then even had demos. And my friends are car free. Presently, work is nearing completion of their dream come true. Cars will not be allowed on the block where the school is. See the fotos below.
Among the other street interventions to elevate bikes, transit and walking, the city has a specific program to close off streets in front of some 500 plus schools. Hundreds of those projects have already been completed, my friends' street adding to the completed category.
Almost all of those streets would have been used for street parking. Not surprisingly, those people parking their cars would not likely be enthusiastic about losing the parking spaces. The city made efforts to be "kind" to the drivers explaining there is a higher value to those school streets. Fences would go up first, some paint, these are movable interventions used as a test to see how the changes work. Something like in Barcelona with their super blocks. Soft interventions first, more permanent later if that looks ok.
In Paris, 1000s of kids now have more space to play. Its safer, the air is better, there's less noise. Kids are not be endangered by cars. More kids can walk to school. The school street typically features landscaping, even raised beds for the kids to cultivate some plants.
Completed school streets have become neighborhood amenities. People gather, there are bikes, strollers. Some of the school streets even have big play boxes that open up after school and are full of toys, trikes and games kids and parents can use for the afternoon. Many school streets have games and decorations painted on the pavement. Parents meet parents. Civic culture receives a boost. There are several before and after fotos below. The transformations are simply inspiring.
School streets in Paris, before and after below. Large foto,, Paris is densely populated. There are wonderful large parks and open spaces but there is need for smaller neighborhood spaces. School streets are perfect. All but one foto below are screen grabs from youtube or a Paris website sent to me by friends. The first pair of fotos are my friend's place. At the bottom, you can see the inside of a school street toy box.
Below are before and after fotos of school street in Paris.
