"Restricting Vehicle Traffic and Planting Trees"
Responding to the Climate Crisis
"City Will Become More Livable" vs. "Commuting Will Be Inconvenient"
Paris, France, has announced plans to create 500 "car-free streets" in the city center to address the climate crisis, but local residents have shown mixed reactions.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 23rd (local time), Paris will hold a resident vote to establish 500 car-free streets throughout the city for environmental preservation. The main points include restricting vehicle traffic on 500 streets and planting trees. Mayor Anne Hidalgo has promoted this policy. The goal is to respond to the climate crisis and make Paris a more livable city by greening various parts of the city center and creating pedestrian-only roads without vehicles. The vote will continue until 7 p.m., with results expected late at night. However, the voting outcome is advisory and not legally binding.
Mayor Hidalgo stated on social media that "Paris residents can choose whether to pursue climate change response and improve living environments near their homes through this vote," but local reactions were somewhat divided. Supporters argued that it would make the city more livable, while opponents expressed concerns that "it would deepen the gap between city center residents and those commuting from the suburbs." In particular, a problem was pointed out that no specific information was provided during the voting process about which streets would be selected as car-free. Since the car-free streets will be chosen after a feasibility study following the vote, residents must vote without knowing how their own neighborhoods will be affected.
Meanwhile, Mayor Hidalgo has served as Paris mayor since 2014 and has promoted the "15-minute city" vision. The 15-minute city concept involves creating living areas accessible within 15 minutes by walking, cycling, or public transportation. She has been credited with fundamentally changing Paris’s traffic flow by opening bicycle lanes and removing outdoor parking lots. However, she has also faced criticism for causing inconvenience to suburban residents who commuted to the city center by car, which led to a decline in her approval ratings.
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