Why Some Cities Are Banning Cars
In many industrialized nations, vehicles rule the road. In the United States in particular, streets are designed to funnel cars along as efficiently as possible, while infrastructure for other modes of transportation is barely an afterthought. A striking example of this is the average bike lane: a thin, unprotected strip of shoulder that is disjointed at best.
In a growing number of cities, however, cars are being banned or severely restricted in favor of promoting public transportation, biking, and pedestrian traffic. Besides the obvious environmental benefits of banning cars, reduced traffic in cities has been connected to improved health, happiness, connectivity, and more!
While not all cities and towns may be ready to embrace a completely car-free culture, there are dozens of ways in which cars can be severely restricted while other forms of transportation are enhanced. Examples include outright bans, added tolls, and improved infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians, to name just a few. Let’s take a look at what cities stand to gain from car bans, and some examples of cities that have implemented them successfully.
Photo by Jurriaan
The benefits of banning cars in cities
Think about how you usually travel around your town or city. Do you bike, walk, hop on a bus, or take the metro? In the United States, unless you live in Washington D.C. or New York, your answer is likely none of the above. In fact, 2013 data revealed that 86% of the US population commuted to work by private vehicle, over 88% of which was individual travel rather than carpooling.
While slightly better, 2017 data of European countries reflect a similar pattern: 75% of workers commute primarily by private vehicle, 16% by public transportation, 6% by walking, and 2% by biking. Of course, numbers vary from city to city. For example, 17% of commuters in Strasbourg and Grenoble go by bicycle, remarkably higher than the average 2% (or 6% in city centers as of 2020).
But more and more cities are making it harder for citizens to travel everywhere by car, whether by outright banning cars in city centers, imposing tolls, or building infrastructure that favors public transportation, biking, and walking. Why? Because there are dozens of benefits associated with reducing car traffic within cities (and in general). Here are the top 10:
Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the transportation industry is responsible for 29% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This is more than any other individual sector. While some of those emissions come from long-haul trucks, airplanes, and buses, the truth is that the majority of transportation emissions come from personal vehicles and trucks.
It’s undeniable that the GHG emissions released by vehicles on the roads are fueling global warming. And while electric vehicles typically produce fewer emissions than standard vehicles, they aren’t completely free from fossil fuels either, as much of the United States’ energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels.
In fact, the average car emits around 24 pounds of GHG for every gallon of gas. While some of the emissions are associated with the initial extraction of oil, the majority are emitted as fuel is burned off while driving. By reducing the amount of car travel, we can greatly reduce global emissions and reduce the impacts of climate change.
Less air pollution
Greenhouse gas emissions not only fuel climate change, but they also create a large amount of air pollution. There’s a term for this: smog. You may have noticed this phenomenon when heading into big cities such as Los Angeles; the sky appears gray even on a cloudless day.
Besides blocking a view of the stars at night, smog is bad for our health. In particular, ground-level ozone (which makes up smog) has been associated with “diminished lung function, increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits for asthma, and increases in premature deaths.”
Reducing overall car traffic and the emissions associated with it would not only result in better air quality (and therefore clearer lungs), but also clearer skies.
Improved physical health
It’s not just the improved air quality that supports well-being, however. Cities that have banned cars or restricted their access encourage citizens to use other modes of travel, in particular active travel such as biking, walking, and taking public transportation. Notably, these are all ranked above cars on the hierarchy of sustainable transportation.
Unlike sitting down in a vehicle, biking and walking are forms of exercise. Besides improving physical fitness, biking and walking have been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone Cortisol, boost immunity, support the circadian rhythm, and increase levels of dopamine (which is linked to energy).
Even taking public transportation is a more active form of travel than driving, as it usually involves some amount of walking to and from stations, as well as standing around. When compared to sitting, standing burns more calories and reduces the impacts of a sedentary lifestyle, as shown in this study.
Increased happiness
While happiness is inherently a subjective measurement, a recent study found that biking to work is a “happier” form of transportation, associated with a higher degree of life satisfaction. In part, cycling or walking to work can be a more pleasant experience than driving or even taking public transportation, both of which can be extremely stressful experiences, especially when dealing with traffic or delays.
By contrast, biking or walking is a smooth experience, hardly ever interrupted by traffic on the road. Additionally, participating in active transportation releases endorphins, which are associated with feelings of happiness and euphoria. When we exercise, we’re also less likely to suffer from stress, anxiety, or depression.
Stronger social connections
While sitting in the car, it’s hard to feel connected to your surroundings. By contrast, walking, biking, or taking public transportation all increase the likelihood that you’ll be interacting with others around you. And as we’ve learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, isolation is not healthy. In fact, it’s been linked to some serious health risks, including dementia, heart disease, and depression. You can learn more about the effects of isolation here.
By contrast, regular socializing increases oxytocin reserves, cultivates positive interactions, and develops more connected communities. Try it for yourself – next time you’re out biking or walking, say hi to your neighbors!
Support of local businesses
In a time when brick-and-mortar businesses are struggling to survive, it’s more important than ever to boost local economies. Banning cars in city centers boosts the local economy because people are empowered by their ability to go around on foot and are more likely to shop within a smaller area. Moreover, building dedicated, protected bike paths has been associated with increased sales, as seen by businesses along 9th Avenue in New York.
Safer streets
Nearly 43,000 individuals died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021, nearly 1,000 of which were bicyclists. Let that sink in for a moment.
Reducing car traffic is one way to create safer streets, not only for cyclists but also for pedestrians and children. For example, car-free cities are more conducive to children being able to play outside without parents worrying about their safety.
While banning cars is the best way to reduce motor-vehicle crashes, there are other ways cities can create safer streets. For example, they can build protected bike lanes that are separate from traffic and painted in bright, obvious colors.
Reduced traffic
It may seem obvious that car-free cities would have less traffic. But unless you’ve lived in a car-free city or have visited one, you may not yet understand what that means. Besides less stress associated with sitting in a traffic jam, there’s less noise pollution. Less noise means a more pleasant experience of the city.
Increased home values
When cities ban cars, people tend to use bike/pedestrian paths, trails, and lanes more. Additionally, cities such as Dallas are converting parking spaces into parks, a re-greening effort that makes the city not only more pleasant to be in, but as it happens also impacts home values in a positive way.
When new bike lanes or green spaces are first proposed, some people inevitably argue against them, citing loss of parking, privacy, and even home value. While some people may not like the idea of the public strolling, biking, or running past their home, studies show that bike paths, especially dedicated trails off the road, actually improve home values rather than decrease them.
Lower cost
Owning a car is an expensive endeavor, and one that doesn’t end when you buy it: gas prices, maintenance costs, insurance, and registration fees all add up over time. Not to mention, living in the city often means paying for designated parking, which can be expensive.
By contrast, walking, biking, and taking public transportation are all more cost-effective than driving a personal vehicle. Depending on where you live, public transportation may still cost a fine penny, but with improved infrastructure and accessibility, there’s plenty of room for long-term costs to go down. Plus, the cost gap is likely to increase as fuel prices continue to rise.
Examples of car-free (or nearly car-free) cities
Almost all cities restrict the use of personal vehicles to some extent – have you ever tried to drive through a town when a marathon, parade, or farmers market is happening? Similarly, more and more cities have experimented with closing off parts of streets, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic forced many restaurants onto the streets.
But what about cities that have done more than just ban cars from a single street or on a single day? If you’re wondering whether this is even possible, you just have to look at a few examples of cities that have done so successfully:
Ghent, Belgium
Ghent has restricted cars in its city center since 1996, welcoming pedestrian traffic to roam the streets, sip coffee at one of the many restaurants with outdoor seating, or buy its famous candy known as the Ghent Nose from street vendors.
But that’s not all. Ghent also participates in car-free Sundays that give pedestrians and cyclists free roam. Additionally, the city imposes a fee on “dirty” cars upon entering its low emissions zone, whereas clean cars can enter for free. Click here to see how locals in Ghent feel about the car-free city center.
Oslo, Norway
In recent years, the city of Oslo has taken a page out of Ghent’s book and converted its city center into a mostly car-free zone. Since converting hundreds of parking spaces into bike lanes, tiny parks, and benches, the city has been bustling.
To accommodate the changes, the city made huge improvements to their public transportation and bike paths for safe and easy travel, and the results have been clear: the ban on cars has not only beautified the city, but has positively impacted the businesses that were against the ban in the first place.
Madrid, Spain
The city of Madrid may not yet be completely car-free, but, much like Ghent and Oslo, its city center is free from all non-resident vehicles. Plus, the city severely restricts vehicles that don’t meet emissions requirements. The plan, known as Madrid 360, requires all vehicles to display the correct environmental sticker and gives priority to “clean” vehicles.
Saas-Fee, Switzerland
While it may not be a big city, the town of Saas-Fee in Switzerland has been car-free since 1951. Visitors arriving by car are required to park the vehicle in a car park just outside of town until they leave. This option is not without a cost, however, and visitors are advised to make use of the relatively cheap and efficient public transportation in the form of buses (and trains from nearby towns) instead.
Paris, France
Like many other big cities, Paris suffers from traffic, smog, and noise pollution. But cars are more and more becoming a thing of the past in the “city of love” – with a goal to ban through traffic in the city center by 2024 (in time for the summer olympics).
Plus, Paris will follow in Madrid’s footsteps by implementing a low-emissions zone banning older, high-emissions vehicles, with a goal to ban all gas-powered cars by 2030. For now, cars are still allowed to travel through the city, but changes over the last few years have shifted the focus to pedestrians, bikers, and public transportation. You can learn more about these changes here.
Venice, Italy
In Venice, the streets are notoriously narrow. That’s because it’s always been car-free, due in part to the impossibility of accommodating cars along the narrow streets, thousands of stairs, and many bridges, as well as the community’s staunch opposition to anything with wheels.
Venice is therefore car-free not by modern design, but rather by medieval design – and it plans to remain that way.
Santa Catalina Island, California
There aren’t many great examples of car-free cities in the United States. While many places, such as Ventura, California, have embraced pedestrian-only areas or streets (especially since the pandemic), such instances don’t operate on a city-wide scale. But one place where you won’t see cars is Santa Catalina Island.
Just off the coast of Southern California, across from the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, lies this 8-mile wide island that has a small local population and many visitors. Residents mostly drive golf carts around, and the amount of cars allowed on the island (for business) is strictly regulated, making it a desirable getaway!
Other ways to give streets back to the people
As of writing this article, there are dozens of examples of cities banning or restricting personal vehicles in city centers and zones, which as we’ve seen not only benefits local businesses, but also provides pedestrians and cyclists with safe paths. While it’s great that city centers are at the forefront of the car-free revolution, we should not ignore the suburbs and small towns – these, too, stand to benefit from restrictions on personal vehicles.
While it may be impractical to ban cars entirely (yet), there are many ways that cities, suburbs, and towns can give the streets back to the people. Here are just a few examples:
Ban cars in downtown areas, creating pedestrian-friendly zones that boost the local economy.
Convert unnecessary parking spots to green spaces, such as parks.
Add tolls for driving through cities, also known as congestion charges.
Ban gas-powered vehicles, or make them pay an extra fee.
Institute car-free days (besides for big events such as marathons, parades, fairs, and farmers markets) in city centers and downtown areas.
Build bike-friendly infrastructure: in particular, protected bike lanes that are consistent from street to street.
What can you do?
Moving away from car-centric living requires a huge shift in culture as well as infrastructure. These aren’t changes that can happen overnight, nor even over the course of a year or two. But they can happen, and they have the potential to revolutionize how we live, travel, and interact with the community around us.
It’s time that the car is knocked down from its pedestal. Cities, towns, and suburbs should instead shift the focus onto building pedestrian- and bike-friendly infrastructure, which can happen if more people speak up.
So what can you do? Above all, vote! You can also call or write your representatives to tell them this is an issue you care about. Finally, lead by example. Whenever possible, swap out the car for a bicycle or a good pair of walking shoes, and you may just find that it’s a pretty nice way to travel!
What’s been your experience with car bans or restrictions? Has your town made any changes to prioritize travel by foot, bike, or public transportation? If not, what changes would you like to see?
