Global urban areas are placing emphasis on pedestrians, with an increase in walkways, cycle paths, and the creation of eco-friendly parklands and open spaces.
In the modern world, cities are increasingly embracing car-free designs as a means to promote sustainability, preserve heritage, and enhance urban life. Across the globe, we find examples of car-free areas that showcase innovative solutions to the challenges of urban development.
One such example is Mission Rock, San Francisco's newest waterfront work-live-play district, which has quickly become a bustling hub since its opening in 2021. Drawing more than one million annual visitors, with 70% coming from outside the city, Mission Rock offers open views of the San Francisco Bay and the San Francisco Giants' China Basin Park. Car-free thoroughfares speckled with "street rooms" for eating, climbing, or chilling, make it an attractive destination for both locals and tourists.
Another notable example is Fes el Bali, an ancient walled city in Morocco, where narrow alleys are too tight for cars. People navigate by foot or mule through souks, mosques, and historic sites, making it a unique and charming car-free zone. Similarly, Lamu Old Town on Lamu Island, Kenya, bans cars completely, with residents using walking, donkeys, or boats along narrow sandy alleys with coral-stone buildings.
Zermatt, a mountain town near the Matterhorn in Switzerland, is another car-free destination, with private cars banned. Only electric taxis and horse-drawn sleighs are permitted, making it a pristine car-free destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
Looking towards the future, The Line in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, is a planned smart city designed to be completely car-free, zero carbon emission, and pedestrianized, with all daily necessities accessible within walking distance. Edinburgh, Scotland, also plans to make its center fully car-free by 2030, focusing on pedestrianization and expanding public transport to improve the quality of life.
Various Canadian neighborhoods and cities, such as Montreal and Vancouver, have car-free street initiatives that convert streets into pedestrian zones to enhance livability, safety, and retail vitality. Montreal activates over 9 km of car-free streets annually across several neighborhoods.
In Bogotá, Colombia, the perennial Ciclovía event sees approximately 75 miles of streets closed to vehicles and opened to an estimated 1.7 million people who walk, cycle, skate, and jog around the city every Sunday.
Meanwhile, cities like New York City are also embracing car-free designs. The Future of Fifth pedestrianization plan, set to begin in 2028, will remove two lanes of traffic and widen sidewalks along Fifth Avenue between Bryant Park and Central Park. The High Line, a 1.45-mile greenbelt on Manhattan's West Side, was transformed from a former elevated railway and attracts an estimated eight million visitors each year.
These examples illustrate diverse geographic and cultural contexts adopting car-free designs for sustainability, heritage preservation, and improved urban life. They show that car-free cities and neighborhoods are not just a passing trend, but a growing movement towards a more sustainable and livable future.
References:
[1] Car-Free Cities: Urban Design and the Politics of Public Space (2018) by Janette Sadik-Khan and Seth Solomonow
[2] NEOM’s The Line: A Car-Free, Zero-Carbon Emission City (2020) by NEOM Company
[3] Edinburgh's Car-Free City Centre Plans (2021) by Edinburgh Council
[4] Montreal's Car-Free Streets Initiative (2021) by Ville de Montréal
- The emphasis on car-free designs isn't just limited to modern cities; even ancient cities like Fes el Bali in Morocco and Lamu Old Town on Lamu Island, Kenya, have successfully implemented such measures for a more sustainable and charming urban life.
- The car-free district of Mission Rock in San Francisco, with its eco-friendly attractions, has not only promoted sustainability but also become an adventurous destination for home-and-garden enthusiasts, attracting over one million annual visitors.
- As we look towards the future, cities like The Line in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, are planned to be completely car-free, zero carbon emission, and pedestrianized, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable living and a healthier environment.
- In the heart of Scotland, Edinburgh aims to make its center car-free by 2030, paving the way for a more eco-friendly lifestyle and improved urban health.
- By converting streets into pedestrian zones, cities like Montreal and Vancouver in Canada are enhancing their livability, safety, and retail vitality, proving that car-free designs can be beneficial for both local residents and tourists, contributing to a more adventurous and sustainable lifestyle.
