Many city governments are taking the opportunity of the COVID-19 to re-shape and re-think urban environments and the way citizens move within and interact with them.

This thread will be a compendium of such forward-thinking city administrations enabling positive change.
Brussels is reducing speed limits to 20kph across the whole city centre, with priority space for bikes and pedestrians. Big news for a notoriously congested city. https://twitter.com/BaldwinMatthew_/status/1252321745027182593">https://twitter.com/BaldwinMa...
Milan is also transforming 35km of road for cycling and walking.
“Of course, we want to reopen the economy, but we think we should do it on a different basis from before...." said the deputy mayor. https://twitter.com/BangkokDi/status/1252513729792491522">https://twitter.com/BangkokDi...
Cities in the US and across Europe have closed off roads to cars, turning them over to cyclists and pedestrians instead.

E.g. Oakland officials said they were planning to close 74 miles of roads – 10% of the city’s total – to motor vehicles https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/11/world-cities-turn-their-streets-over-to-walkers-and-cyclists">https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...
More cities prioritising cycling space during lockdown. https://twitter.com/AssaadRazzouk/status/1253226253647335426">https://twitter.com/AssaadRaz...
Seoul giving over car space to trees, pedestrians and cyclists. https://twitter.com/Kojects/status/1254582081599926284">https://twitter.com/Kojects/s...
Washington DC has expanded pavements quickly. https://twitter.com/jen_keesmaat/status/1253664988167888896?s=19">https://twitter.com/jen_keesm...
Soo many additional kms of bicycle lanes! https://twitter.com/ofuturecities/status/1255525752281468936">https://twitter.com/ofutureci...
Rome is extending its bike lane network. Putting active transport at the fore, creating safe opportunities to be outside. https://twitter.com/urbanthoughts11/status/1256592399578599426?s=19">https://twitter.com/urbanthou...
No need for expensive investments, simple barriers will do to create safe cycling space. Rapid and effective. https://twitter.com/urbanthoughts11/status/1256592912227405825?s=19">https://twitter.com/urbanthou...
Or simply traffic cones in Auckland, to create a nice and wide bike lane. https://twitter.com/urbanthoughts11/status/1256591231393595392?s=19">https://twitter.com/urbanthou...
Turning over streets to pedestrians and cyclists for active transport is a positive action with myriad benefits. https://twitter.com/JenCCronin/status/1257646500127088640?s=19">https://twitter.com/JenCCroni...
“The deconfinement is the time to illustrate that the bike is a transport mode in its own right and not just a hobby,” Borne said. https://twitter.com/SEIclimate/status/1257976906504380416?s=19">https://twitter.com/SEIclimat...
https://twitter.com/urbanthoughts11/status/1258982609532735491?s=19">https://twitter.com/urbanthou...
In the UK, councils can nowfast-track changes to road use allocation to prioritize cyclists (with physically segregated lanes) and pedestrians e.g. with cones to widen pavements into road space. https://twitter.com/laura_laker/status/1259140713415168000?s=19">https://twitter.com/laura_lak...
Barcelona is adding 30,000m2 to its pedestrian network, 21km to the cycling network, implementing bus priority lanes & new parking taxes for polluting vehicles.

Dublin is removing loading bays & parking spaces to provide more space for pedestrians.

https://www.c40knowledgehub.org/s/article/Prioritising-cyclists-and-pedestrians-for-a-safer-stronger-recovery?language=en_US&utm_campaign=14+May+mailing&utm_medium=C40+newsletter&utm_source=C40+newsletter">https://www.c40knowledgehub.org/s/article...
Big transformation planned for the Champs Elysees, cars will be secondary to pedestrians. https://twitter.com/drmatthewhardy/status/1255928043144720385?s=19">https://twitter.com/drmatthew...
Mayor de Blasio announced a significant revamping of the city’s streets: it would install five busways to give buses priority on some of the busiest thoroughfares, including Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, largely by banning cars. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/08/nyregion/coronavirus-nyc-reopen-phase-1.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/0...
https://twitter.com/BaldwinMatthew_/status/1271002499047178242?s=19">https://twitter.com/BaldwinMa...
This COVID-19 Cycling Measures tracker is great for comparing the different type of cycling measures (and others e.g. car-free streets, wider pavements) being introduced across European cities

https://ecf.com/dashboard ">https://ecf.com/dashboard...
“In India, the world’s second most populous country, the government has recommended that three markets in each be pedestrianised and more bicycle lanes added. City authorities must select the markets by the end of this month and begin implementing…” https://gu.com/p/e4nha/stw ">https://gu.com/p/e4nha/s...
While many policies developed in emergency circumstances, some cities plan to make these changes permanent.

In Vilnuis, while aspects of outdoor use will go back to normal next year, the aim of allowing more outdoor space & street closures will remain. https://news.trust.org/item/20200615091609-7dluu/">https://news.trust.org/item/2020...
The southern Indian city of Chennai has carved out more than 100 km of pedestrian-friendly streets, the urban affairs ministry noted.

Chennai& #39;s efforts paid off during the lockdown, said Raj Cherubal, chief executive of Chennai Smart City Ltd. https://news.trust.org/item/20200617065758-1qq2h/">https://news.trust.org/item/2020...
Excellent thread on the importance of reducing car dependency, so that urban space can be reclaimed for walking, cycling, green space. https://twitter.com/nytopinion/status/1281289591480295425?s=19">https://twitter.com/nytopinio...
From tree planting in Freetown to electric car charging stations in Hong Kong and permanently closed roads in Seattle, the pandemic is not stopping cities taking measures to be greener and more liveable. https://twitter.com/TRF_Land/status/1284111359320272896?s=19">https://twitter.com/TRF_Land/...
This promises to be an interesting series on "COVID 19 and the city" with the first piece focusing on informal settlements, social equity and health. https://scroll.in/topic/56281/covid-19-and-the-city">https://scroll.in/topic/562...
The pandemic has demonstrated the essential need for space in cities, both private and public.

https://theconversation.com/amp/why-urban-density-is-good-for-health-even-during-a-pandemic-142108?__twitter_impression=true">https://theconversation.com/amp/why-u...
Manchester is building its first city-centre park in 100 years.

“We need to ensure that the whole population have access to a quality local public green space within walking distance of where they live” https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/aug/04/manchester-to-build-first-city-centre-park-in-100-years">https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...
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