cities without cars

[joshsam]

In Belgium (and lots of other European countries) most central area's of all cities and main streets of towns are car free... great to see the trend in the USA. It creates street life.

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by joshsam

In Belgium (and lots of other European countries) most central area's of all cities and main streets of towns are car free... great to see the trend in the USA. It creates street life.

That reminds me of Sunday Streets, a rotating event here in San Francisco, wherein streets are closed off to vehicular traffic and are converted into pedestrian streets for a part of Sunday (from 10am to 6pm). With a particular street closed, it becomes a carnival of makeshift shops, eateries, performance stages, and stalls for good causes, and it attracts thousands of people. As a way to connect the blocked off street, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority (SFMTA) plans open crossings (usually streets with bus lines) so that vehicles can cross the cordoned-off streets and use alternate routes.

[joshsam]

It's mostly shoppingstreets and a few squares adjunct to those streets overhere that are cut off for cars like this example in a town close to where I live (Hasselt, 70.000 inhabitants, 100.000 metro)
What it does is create a save environment for people and it makes a city feel vibrant and alive. There is nothing worse than a central city full of cars and no people walking it.

I know it's a lot harder in US cities to achieve that but with some effort like in the example above, urban centers should at least have a few streets like these that are walking only.


http://s2.hbvl.be/ahimgpath/assets_i...87-620x415.jpg


https://focusophasselt.files.wordpre...shopping07.jpg

in winter times:


http://s2.hbvl.be/ahimgpath/assets_i...11-620x415.jpg



The alternative is something like in my own town where cars are allowed and I pretty much hate it. These two streets I show here should have been cut of for cars ages ago but still aren't This town has 40.000 inhabitants and is believed to attract and extra 40.000 for shopping and other services.

street 1





Street2

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by joshsam

It's mostly shoppingstreets and a few squares adjunct to those streets overhere that are cut off for cars like this example in a town close to where I live (Hasselt, 70.000 inhabitants, 100.000 metro)
What it does is create a save environment for people and it makes a city feel vibrant and alive. There is nothing worse than a central city full of cars and no people walking it.

I know it's a lot harder in US cities to achieve that but with some effort like in the example above, urban centers should at least have a few streets like these that are walking only.

http://s2.hbvl.be/ahimgpath/assets_i...87-620x415.jpg

https://focusophasselt.files.wordpre...shopping07.jpg

in winter times:

http://s2.hbvl.be/ahimgpath/assets_i...11-620x415.jpg

Right. Here's the thing about pedestrian streets in cities: originally, such roadways were envisioned to be just that: a road, wherein cars can travel to and fro, with some parking, a sidewalk, and sometimes a median. If cities were to be creative enough that they can start designing pedestrian streets, then that will instantly become a hit, especially when designed thoroughly and integrated into the long-term plan for a city.

[joshsam]

I completely agree with you! I edited my post to show you that not everything is like roses overhere

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by joshsam

I completely agree with you! I edited my post to show you that not everything is like roses overhere

Can definitely note the differences. Indeed, those streets could be made as pedestrian-only streets. The problem: where would the city reroute those cars, and how will businesses be accessed by delivery trucks and vans?

[joshsam]

The problem of delivering is easy to solve. Trucks can enter the street when the barriers that cut the street off for cars go down. In the example of Hasselt that means all night from 9pm to the next morning 6am.

The problem in my town would be the reroute of the cars. But in Europe we have another solution for this; if you can't reroute them, just don't. Eventually people will avoid the city core with car and will walk or bike instead.

I believe in my town they will construct underground parking garages under the traffic squares where the cars can enter the old town in the next year. Then they will try to make a single way ringroad with existing streets and avenues around the old core. People can take either bus or walk to the pedestrianized area.(wich isn't far because the town isn't big.

With this, my town will follow the exact patern of Hasselt wich has several underground parking garages on the edge of the old town and a circular ringroad around the city core.



The gray streets within the ringroad are pedestrian streets. The ringroad is two lanes in one direction for regular traffic and one lane in opposit direction for PB and police/ambulance


Future Plan for my town:


The black is a single way ringroad around the historic center. The red are streets that allow traffic to enter the historic core and drop or pick up people near the shopping streets / market square
Green means street that are open for local traffic. All the streets within the black circle shape area should be car free in theory. You can see that the black route runs next to the parking area's so people can leave their car behind there.

I hope they will make this plan true.

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by joshsam

The problem of delivering is easy to solve. Trucks can enter the street when the barriers that cut the street off for cars go down. In the example of Hasselt that means all night from 9pm to the next morning 6am.

The problem in my town would be the reroute of the cars. But in Europe we have another solution for this; if you can't reroute them, just don't. Eventually people will avoid the city core with car and will walk or bike instead.

I believe in my town they will construct underground parking garages under the traffic squares where the cars can enter the old town in the next year. Then they will try to make a single way ringroad with existing streets and avenues around the old core. People can take either bus or walk to the pedestrianized area.(wich isn't far because the town isn't big.

With this, my town will follow the exact patern of Hasselt wich has several underground parking garages on the edge of the old town and a circular ringroad around the city core.

The gray streets within the ringroad are pedestrian streets. The ringroad is two lanes in one direction for regular traffic and one lane in opposit direction for PB and police/ambulance

Future Plan for my town:

The black is a single way ringroad around the historic center. The red are streets that allow traffic to enter the historic core and drop or pick up people near the shopping streets / market square
Green means street that are open for local traffic. All the streets within the black circle shape area should be car free in theory. You can see that the black route runs next to the parking area's so people can leave their car behind there.

I hope they will make this plan true.

Those actually give me ideas for my upcoming poll indeed... I will develop one that integrates your walking streets.

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by fieldsofdreams

Right. Here's the thing about pedestrian streets in cities: originally, such roadways were envisioned to be just that: a road, wherein cars can travel to and fro, with some parking, a sidewalk, and sometimes a median. If cities were to be creative enough that they can start designing pedestrian streets, then that will instantly become a hit, especially when designed thoroughly and integrated into the long-term plan for a city.

You think that roads were originally designed for cars in old city centres?

[fieldsofdreams]

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

You think that roads were originally designed for cars in old city centres?

Nope, not at all. Those would've been built for ox carts, horses, and people. But that's true for Europe, Asia, and certain cities in the US and Canada.

[JayT]

In SINGAPORE cars are so heavily taxed that the city state has only about 10% per of the cars per-capita that the USA has. This means that despite being a very rich nation car ownership is very low.

The Singaporean government has done a very good job of discouraging private cars.

[Suburbanist]

Since when it is a good job to prevent people access to consumer goods?

Only on the minds of control freaks and social engineers with marxist inclinations.

The more consumption, the better.

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by Suburbanist

Since when it is a good job to prevent people access to consumer goods?

Only on the minds of control freaks and social engineers with marxist inclinations.

The more consumption, the better.

You talk about social engineering of a different kind though, suburbanist. You speak of wanting rigid planning controls (extensive zoning requirements) and limited transport alternatives being present. Are you any better than those that you label as "marxists"?

[Johnny Casher]

Been in Tokyo and we really walk there a lot.

[printingray]

In Virginia, the entire Tangier island contains no cars and free for fishing and travelers. Also if you go to Charlottetown, you will find free trolly service from downtown to University of Virginia grounds and hundred shops and dozens of restaurants on the way where no cars are driven.

[idnobleg]

Hi all,

I am currently researching into the first carbon-free city in Abu Dhabi. The name of the city is Masdar city an initiative of the UAE government. I will be looking at the quality of construction and the impact of this sort of sustainable construction on the environment and the quality of living and working in such environment.

The public view/opinion is kindly needed to analyze the following:

1. Sustainable construction as a tool for improving construction quality.

2. Enhancement of customer satisfaction based on 1 above.

I have developed a questionnaire for this purpose and the link is provided below. Just copy and paste to your web browser.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IdowuAjayi

Thank you so much as you take time to respond to my survey.

Idowu Ajayi
Kingston University London

[mintgum84]

I'd love Oxford to be car free. The centre is now only open to public transport but the feeder roads get congested each morning and late afternoon. Crazy traffic jams. There should be public transport only access - maybe even classic horse and cart to give that Victorian feel.

[aspirin]

Zermatt, Switzerland

[mintgum84]

^

Looks amazing.

[earthJoker]

Zermatt has only 5700 permanent inhabitants so it's more a village than a city. On the other hand it has beds for another 17000 tourists.