More than 700 cities in 50 countries have introduced bike-share programs — several in the past three years, the article says. Even car-centric Los Angeles is embracing bike lanes. Roads are closed on weekends to encourage physical activity in 100-plus cities. Speeds are being dramatically reduced on some streets to dissuade driving. Dublin, Milan and Madridare among the cities banning autos from urban cores.
In London, the volume of cars entering the city center slid by a third since 2002 due in large part to a congestion charge imposed on drivers. Auto ownership in Paris has dropped by a fifth since 2001, the Economist says.
Despite the progress, cities still face challenges, especially as car ownership soars in the developing world. The International Transport Forum projects that by 2050, there will be three times as many vehicles on roads as today, the article notes.
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This article originally appeared at Citiscope, a nonprofit news outlet that covers innovations in cities around the world. More at Citiscope.org.
