Paris
Streetsblog Basics
The Joy and Freedom of a City Without Car Traffic
On Sunday, streets all over Paris belonged to people biking, walking, and riding transit.
October 2, 2017
What American Commuter Rail Can Learn From Paris, Part 2
In Europe it's common for regional rail systems to get ridership comparable to that of the subway in the central city. But in America, this is unheard of. One reason for the discrepancy is land use: American commuter rail stations are typically surrounded by parking, while in the Paris region you see a different pattern with ample development next to suburban train stations.
February 15, 2017
What American Commuter Rail Can Learn From Paris
In the U.S., regional rail is mostly good for one type of trip: the commute. But in Paris, regional rail is oriented toward all types of trips, and people ride throughout the day, not just at rush hour. One key to success is running frequent, predictable service all day long.
February 13, 2017
Adieu, Cars: Paris Riverfront to Be Permanently Returned to the People
After years of experimentation, the Paris City Council this week committed to the permanent conversion of two miles of the Georges Pompidou expressway along the River Seine into a waterfront park.
September 28, 2016
Paris to Return Its Great Public Squares to the People
If you look at paintings from the pre-automotive era, Paris's monumental public squares were full of people strolling comfortably. But over time, car traffic has consumed most of these squares.
September 19, 2016
Paris Mayor Pledges Bold Steps to Reduce Traffic in City Center
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.
December 8, 2014
From London to D.C., Bike-Sharing Is Safer Than Riding Your Own Bike
People riding shared public bicycles appear to be involved in fewer traffic crashes and receive fewer injuries than people riding their personal bicycles. In cities from Paris and London to Washington, D.C. and Mexico City, something about riding a shared bicycle appears to make cycling safer.
June 16, 2011
European Parking Policies Leave New York Behind
Flashback to Europe, sixty years ago. Just emerging from the ruin of total war, the continent was in the midst of a nearly unprecedented reconstruction. Over the next decade, industry finally was able to turn toward consumer products, from stockings to refrigerators and, of course, the automobile. Italians owned only 342,000 cars in 1950, but ten years later that number had increased to two million, according to historian Tony Judt. In France, the number of cars tripled over the decade.
January 19, 2011
Theft and Vandalism Just Not a Problem For American Bike-Sharing
Even as bike-sharing spreads across the United States, it remains dogged by one persistent doubt. Critics, and even some boosters, fear that the bikes will be routinely stolen and vandalized. It's time to stop worrying about crime, however. In America's new bike-sharing systems, there have been essentially no such problems.
November 29, 2010