I know that many of you already know this, but it's pretty remarkable what Paris has been able to achieve over the last 10 years:
Paris has closed more than 100 streets to motor vehicles, tripled parking fees for SUVs, removed roughly 50,000 parking spots, and constructed more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) of bike lanes since Mayor Anne Hidalgo took office in 2014.
The result is that, according to city officials, air pollution in the capital has declined by about 40% since 2011. And bicycle usage has increased by some 70% -- this is since 2019.
Now, Paris does happen to be blessed with a dense urban fabric. But that doesn't necessarily mean that this transformation was simple or easy. The difference is will. Most Parisians seem to support these actions.
So the next time you're stuck in traffic and cursing some scapegoat, maybe consider what you would be willing to do to dramatically reduce traffic congestion. Would you be open to radical change in your city?
