Paris is extending its infection for permanent mobility by converting 500 roads into pedestrian areas, a project expected to take three to four years.
Hundreds of roads in the French capital will be closed for cars after a public referendum organized by city officials. According to the DPA, only 4% of the voters registered about 1.4 million participated in the vote, but 66% of them supported the plan to ban vehicle access on 500 roads. As a result, more than 10,000 parking locations can be abolished, and drivers will need to adjust new deiters. Most voters in only three districts opposed the remedy.
The final selection of roads to be converted into pedestrian areas will be decided locally in the coming weeks, with about 25 roads in each of the 20 districts of the city. The change process is estimated to take three to four years, the average cost of € 500,000 per road.
A long effort to reduce traffic
Since 2002, car traffic has declined by about 50%in Paris. However, city officials noted that cars still occupy more than half of public places.
Under the leadership of Samajwadi Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Paris has been working for years to promote green transport. Currently, about 220 of the 6,000 roads in the city are car-free. Some areas already restrict vehicles near schools, most of the city’s speed limits are limited to 30 km/h, and a transit-free area has been established in the center of the city.
This is the third time the residents of Paris have been invited to vote on transport policies. In April 2023, a referendum banned rented e-scooters, and in February 2024, voters approved high parking fee for SUVs. In both cases, voters were extremely low.
