Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Car-Free Streets

Car-free Pratt Street. Photo: Hartford Prints! on Instagram

Downtown Hartford Marries Parking Meter Reform With Car-Free Streets

By Stephen Miller | May 8, 2017 | 4 Comments

Pratt Street is a narrow, one-way block-long street in the heart of downtown Hartford, Connecticut, lined with red brick pavers and historic storefronts. It's also the latest street in the United States to go car-free, at least some of the time, as part of the city's first agreement to spend parking meter revenue on local streetscape improvements.

Hundreds of teenagers on bikes took over a freeway in the center of Philadelphia last weekend. How did it happen? Screencap via jinxedstore/Instagram

The Backstory and Aftermath of Philly’s Teen Bicycle Freeway Takeover

By Stephen Miller | Apr 28, 2017 | 50 Comments

Perhaps you saw video on social media this week showing hundreds of teenagers riding bikes, popping wheelies on a Philadelphia expressway. It was an unauthorized freeway takeover that ought to have brought a smile to even the sourest face.

Montreal's Rue Ontario at Place Simon-Valois, free of cars. Photo: City of Montreal

Montreal’s Car-Free Street Network Gets Bigger All the Time

By Angie Schmitt | Jan 23, 2017 | 4 Comments

Every year, Montreal transforms more of its streets into public spaces where people can rub shoulders with their neighbors without worrying about car traffic. Block by block, experiment by experiment, the city's pedestrian streets are growing.

Will Barcelona’s “Superblocks” Proposal Work Well for Transit?

By Angie Schmitt | May 20, 2016 | 19 Comments

Barcelona is making waves with plans to test a concept it’s calling “superblocks.” The idea is to create nine-block squares of “citizen spaces” — about 400 meters on each side — where cars would be limited. Unlike the widely derided superblocks of the urban renewal era, Barcelona’s would be explicitly designed to preserve the street grid for walking and biking — only motor vehicle […]

Scenes From the Big Car-Free Day in Paris

By Angie Schmitt | Sep 28, 2015 | 1 Comment

-Journee sans voitures, Les Champs Elysees, maintenant. -Day without cars, Champs Elysees, now. -Arabasiz gun, Champs Elysees, simdi. #journeesansvoitures #daywithoutcars #arabasizgun #champselysees #champselysées #nofilter #photooftheday A photo posted by Arkun Demiroglu (@arkundemiroglu) on Sep 27, 2015 at 3:13am PDT The air was noticeably clearer yesterday over the city of Paris, where people walking, biking, skating, […]

Paris Mayor Pledges Bold Steps to Reduce Traffic in City Center

By Angie Schmitt | Dec 8, 2014 | 11 Comments

After a decade of repurposing street space from cars to people, buses, and bikes, Paris isn’t done yet. The world’s most-visited city is now preparing to remove even more traffic from the streets in the name of walkability and clean air. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told the Journal du Dimanche this week that she intends to […]

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