San Francisco is the latest city to declare cars off-limits on a major city street, following the lead of New York.
The city by the bay will soon close Market Street to cars, giving streetcars, buses, bicycles/electric scooters, and pedestrians free reign. This action follows New York City’s closing of 14th Street to cars and converting it to a dedicated bus way. This move decreased average bus trips by 30%.
San Francisco will reduce the size of bustling Market Street, widen sidewalks, and add an eight-foot-wide bike lane for bikes and e-scooters. Several cities in Europe and in others in the U.S. including Denver, Santa Monica, Madison, Charlottesville, and Chicago, have established pedestrian-only zones.
With the use of shared bikes and scooters more than doubling between 2017 and 2018, such initiatives may blossom over the next several years.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 8, 2021
Sensors used in tunable lighting systems found to have high reliability
DOE study investigated items used to control lumen depreciation, chromaticity shifts, and changes in drivers.
Codes and Standards | Apr 7, 2021
Red tape ruined the U.K.’s home retrofit program
Lessons learned could help US avoid that fate.
Codes and Standards | Apr 6, 2021
Lendlease achieves net-zero carbon in Boston, Chicago multifamily portfolio
New projects in New York, Los Angeles on track to reach goal.
Codes and Standards | Apr 5, 2021
Specification for sliding door, lift and slide roller assemblies updated
Addresses market trend toward heavy sliding doors.
Codes and Standards | Apr 5, 2021
Construction employment rebounds in March following February drop
Rising costs, supply-chain woes, and cancellations threaten outlook.
Codes and Standards | Apr 2, 2021
Intl. Code Council’s new development system could be a brake on building decarbonization
Local governments lose influence on creating new energy efficiency rules.
Codes and Standards | Apr 1, 2021
Cuomo proposes strengthened NY building codes to boost efficiency
Would apply to appliance, equipment efficiency and reduce water use.
Codes and Standards | Mar 25, 2021
N.C.’s Outer Banks’ communities struggle for ways to keep the sea from overrunning them
Tax hikes for beach replenishment offer temporary solution.
Codes and Standards | Mar 24, 2021
Perkins&Will’s D.C. office pledges to eliminate embodied carbon in commercial interiors
Firm aims to reach goal on all designs by 2030.
Codes and Standards | Mar 23, 2021
The 15-minute city may not work in much of North America
Segregated neighborhoods and car-centric cities may not adapt to the European model.
