Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Oslo

Oslo Gradually Removing Parking From Central City as It Phases Out Cars

Photo: Wikipedia
Photo: Wikipedia
Photo: Wikipedia

Another European city is setting its sights on ridding the urban core of cars.

The City Council in Oslo, Norway, has approved a plan to remove cars from the central city by 2019. As part of that plan, parking spaces will be replaced by bike infrastructure.

Liv Jorun Andenes, who works on bike projects with Oslo's agency for the environment, told Streetsblog via email that the city is planning to remove 1,300 spots over the next three years. In their place, eight bicycle routes will be added. In addition, 500 spaces will be eliminated to make room for pedestrians and transit. 

This City of Oslo map shows the locations of the proposed cycleways.
Proposed Oslo cycleways
This City of Oslo map shows the locations of the proposed cycleways.

The parking phase-out began this spring. "It’s going well," Jorun Andenes says, "but of course we are receiving a few complaints from residents who are losing their free parking spot."

The city expects to hear more complaints when 100 parking spaces are removed from a wealthy part of town later this year. That accounts for about 2 percent of Oslo's parking supply, according to local news sources.

Ridding the central city of cars is part of a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent, according to the Guardian. The city hopes to reduce auto traffic by 20 percent by 2019 and 30 percent by 2030.

Madrid and a number of other places in Europe are considering similar plans aimed at returning central cities to people.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Pennsylvania Shifted Cash From Highways to Transit – But Other States Could Go Even Further

"If your governor says they don't have money for transit, they are lying," said one advocate.

November 27, 2024

Wednesday’s Headlines Are Ready to Gobble a Turkey

Despite the challenges of a second Trump administration, we remain thankful that at least most voters continue to support transit locally.

November 27, 2024

Take a Virtual Bikeway Tour of the Southern Oregon Cities of Ashland and Talent

Start your thanksgiving vacation early with a virtual ride through some of America's best bike paths.

November 26, 2024

How America’s ‘Soft Power’ is Shaping Mobility Around the World — And How Cities Like Tirana Are Resisting it

"The biggest infrastructure we had to fight to fix was the 10 centimeters between our ears — the mentality, the status symbol that the car brought. "

November 26, 2024

Tuesday’s Headlines Need to Get the Price Right

Democrats who want to prove policies like congestion pricing work for cities, come on down!

November 26, 2024
See all posts