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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.
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
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
“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
Bogota has added 76km to its existing 550km (!!) of permanent bike lanes to help avoid overcrowding on public transport and improve air quality. https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/news/news/bogota-expands-bike-lanes-overnight-to-curb-coronavirus-spread-5127
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
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
More cities prioritising cycling space during lockdown. https://twitter.com/AssaadRazzouk/status/1253226253647335426
Seoul giving over car space to trees, pedestrians and cyclists. https://twitter.com/Kojects/status/1254582081599926284
Washington DC has expanded pavements quickly. https://twitter.com/jen_keesmaat/status/1253664988167888896?s=19
Meanwhile in Vilnuis, roads and squares will be given over to pubs and restaurants to make room for physical distancing. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/28/lithuanian-capital-to-be-turned-into-vast-open-air-cafe-vilnius
Soo many additional kms of bicycle lanes! https://twitter.com/ofuturecities/status/1255525752281468936
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
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
Or simply traffic cones in Auckland, to create a nice and wide bike lane. https://twitter.com/urbanthoughts11/status/1256591231393595392?s=19
"The question is whether we will have the imagination and vision to transform streets and bring about the safer, more accessible, and more resilient cities we’ve needed all along." https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/05/01/future-of-cities-urban-life-after-coronavirus-pandemic/
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
“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
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
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
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
Big transformation planned for the Champs Elysees, cars will be secondary to pedestrians. https://twitter.com/drmatthewhardy/status/1255928043144720385?s=19
"The pandemic has strengthened the case for making neighbourhoods self-sufficient, in the vein of Melbourne’s plan to put shopping, leisure and work within 20 minutes of its residents’ homes" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/22/coronavirus-will-reshape-our-cities-we-just-dont-know-how-yet
The UK government recently pledged a £250 million emergency fund to create pop-up cycle lanes, widen pavements and create walking and cycling only streets across England. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/cities-support-people-walking-and-cycling-work/?fbclid=IwAR3CCB4k2mXFWWhTmgt3L9TBR04Z7CTO9I56bGR30gasxMFbowVIRf--XYU
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
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
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/
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/
The southern Indian city of Chennai has carved out more than 100 km of pedestrian-friendly streets, the urban affairs ministry noted.
Chennai's efforts paid off during the lockdown, said Raj Cherubal, chief executive of Chennai Smart City Ltd. https://news.trust.org/item/20200617065758-1qq2h/
Chennai's efforts paid off during the lockdown, said Raj Cherubal, chief executive of Chennai Smart City Ltd. https://news.trust.org/item/20200617065758-1qq2h/
In the end, reclaiming streets will not be enough to lock in improved air quality and other benefits. Every city needs a comprehensive program of car control. Some, like London, are already banning the most polluting vehicles... https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/20/opinion/pandemic-automobile-cities.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage
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
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
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
Promoting street vending can generate employment, keep people safe and create the vitality and comity that is the hallmark of livable humane cities. https://theconversation.com/street-vendors-make-cities-livelier-safer-and-fairer-heres-why-they-belong-on-the-post-covid-19-urban-scene-141675?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton
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-urban-density-is-good-for-health-even-during-a-pandemic-142108?__twitter_impression=true
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
“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