Another year, another international car free day. And as much as we would like to think otherwise, September 22nd is mostly a token gesture. Yes, some cities — particularly those in Europe — have used car free days as a fulcrum to introduce more and permanent people-oriented urban planning, but for the rest of us it’s business as usual come September 23rd.
Sad face.
This month is the beginning of a new feature on this blog, “In Summary”, where I highlight the month’s most sustainable, innovative, people-oriented, and downright interesting news in urban planning around the world. (A few of the links are from earlier this year, couldn’t resist.) There’s a lot we could learn from communities all over the globe, from Oslo’s ridiculously successful car-free city center to Beijing’s license plate lottery that’s dramatically curbed the growth rate of new automobiles to planners in Dhaka that recognize the importance of developing quality public transit systems, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg
Enjoy!
Oh, but first a few photos of car free days… and not-so-car free days.
September 2019 urban planning, in summary:
We all know the saying “there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” so it goes without saying there’s no such thing as “free” parking. Parking costs are priced into everything — housing, business, development, goods and services, environmental impacts — and it affects everyone, even those of us without cars. Australia’s ABC News explains how this creates cities that are expensive, less equitable, and less efficient than necessary. [We all love free car parking — but who’s really paying for it?, 9/12/2019]
In the same vein, CityLab explains how “parking requirements poison our cities, increasing traffic congestion, polluting the air, encouraging sprawl, raising housing costs, degrading urban design, preventing walkability, damaging the economy, and penalizing everyone who cannot afford a car”. Yikes! And, yes, separated land uses, low density, and ample free parking create drivable cities and prevent walkable neighborhoods. Did you know that in the U.S., the area of off-street parking per car is larger than the area of housing per human, 990 square feet versus 800 square feet? [Parking Reform Will Save the City, 9/20/2019]
Barcelona considers urban planning changes in the dramatic form of superblocks (superilles) that would increase green and play spaces, reduce or eliminate vehicular traffic, improve air quality and quality of life/health, and so on. “Urban planning and transport interventions like the superblocks have significant implications for public health. We urgently need a paradigm shift away from the car-centred urban planning model and towards a people-centred approach,” says Natalie Mueller, who goes on to say implementing the changes in just one district could prevent 60 premature deaths annually (!). [Barcelona’s car-free ‘superblocks’ could save hundreds of lives, 9/12/2019; Superblocks to the rescue: Barcelona’s plan to give streets back to residents, 5/17/2016]
Engineer and transportation planner Norman Garrick recognizes the value of emphasizing transit-oriented streets: “Plain old Universitätstrasse can reveal a lot about the sacrifices we have been asked to make in the name of efficient car travel. To me, it suggests that what we have lost is not worth the sacrifice. But it also shows that if we think more holistically about what we are trying to achieve in urban and transportation planning, we can reverse some of the damage that has been done to cities through the implementation of ill-considered transportation dogma”. [What Does This Street In Zürich Mean?, 9/30/2019]
I don’t know about you, but I care about my child’s health and future, which is why I advocate for people-oriented urban spaces, just like Green MEP’s Scott Ainslie who calls air pollution caused by cars a “mammoth public health crisis and our children are carrying the brunt”. He explains how schools that closed roads experienced lovely results, ranging from lower air pollution to more play opportunities for children. [Car Free Day isn’t enough – we need to get cars off our roads for good, 9/30/2019]
Larissa Lockwood of the Clean Air Day campaign recognizes a wolf in sheep’s clothing when she sees one, saying, “instead of simply switching one engine for another we should focus on segregated bike lanes and safe, walkable neighbourhoods”. [London’s streets should be for the majority, not a car-owning minority., 9/18/2019]
Oh, the horror! Vegetarianism is not on the rise in the U.S. But you wouldn’t know it in NYC, Portland, or eight other cities. [U.S. News’ Best Cities for Vegans and Vegetarians, 9/30/2019]
Hallelujah, experts in Bangladesh say “traffic congestion in the capital would improve if restriction on cars was enforced in the city”. So why don’t authorities implement more pedestrian-first policies? [Restricting cars demanded for congestion-free city, 9/5/2019]
Did you know that in 1800, an American used to commute about 50 meters (0.03 miles) a day on average and now it has increased to 50 kilometers (30 miles)? Bangladesh recognizes how a boom in technology, urbanization, construction of roads and an increased production of cars has has created the vicious circle of ever-increasing pollution, accidents and traffic jams. [’Walking, cycling, public transport must be prioritised’, 9/26/2019]
Anti-car protest groups in Germany demand “improved streets for pedestrians and cyclists along with ‘a massive increase in bus and train services,’ lower speed limits on the autobahn (to a maximum of 75 mph) and in residential areas (down to 19 mph in cities and 50 mph in outlying areas), and that the auto industry provide ‘efficient electro mobility instead of big electric SUVs.’“ Sounds like a simple enough request to me, so why does reaching even one of these goals seem so darn impossible? [Anti-Car Groups Call for an SUV Ban, Protest at Frankfurt Auto Show, 9/14/2019]
Other recent urban planning stories to pique your curiosity:
We’ve gone over this before but it bears repeating: Air pollution caused by cars is a major health hazard with the World Health Organization (WHO) calling it the “new tobacco”. “The WHO) estimates that air pollution kills 7 million people each year – equivalent to 13 deaths every minute – more than the combined total of war, murder, tuberculosis, HIV, AIDs and malaria. It could shorten the life expectancy of children born today by an average of 20 months, according to research published by U.S. nonprofit, the Health Effects Institute, earlier this year”. [Can air pollution trigger depression and schizophrenia?, 8/20/2019]
Face palm: the Traffic Jam Whopper. Yes, friends, Burger King found success in delivering food to customers stuck in Mexico City’s traffic, and it’s coming to a city near you. Because sitting in a car for hours a day just isn’t a big enough health hazard. [Burger King Could Soon Deliver to Cars Stuck in L.A. Traffic, 5/10/2019]
Pop quiz: What are the 10 most congested cities in the world? In order, U.S. News says they are Moscow, Istanbul, Bogata, Mexico City, Sao Paolo, London, Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Saint Petersburg, and Rome. While the average commuter in Moscow loses nearly nine days a year sitting in city traffic, Americans lose an average of 97 hours, costing them $87 billion annually in time – an average of $1,348 per driver. Just… wow. [Cities With the World’s Worst Traffic Congestion, 2/12/2019]
Three cheers for local government officials in Arlington, Virginia, for offering a reward system that “encourages more commuters to help reduce traffic and carbon emissions by ditching their cars”. But does it work? [New Local Transit Planning App Offers Users Cash Rewards for Greener Commutes, 8/28/2019]