List of car-free places
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of noteworthy car-free areas. To be included, areas should meet at least one of the following criteria:
- They are unusual for their country or region
- They make up a sizeable fraction of a city, town, or island
For example, Freiburg's car free district is included because it is of significant size even for Germany; Leipzig's is not since it is merely average and is a small part of the city. However, Portland, Oregon's are included since car free areas of any size are unusual in North America.
Color-coding is used as follows:
| Place name | Most or all of the area is essentially car free. Children can play in most streets. |
| Place name | Large area that is nearly car free; pedestrians may still occasionally have to avoid cars. |
| Place name | Worthy of inclusion, but extent is limited or vehicles sometimes intrude appreciably. |
Contents |
[edit] Europe
[edit] Austria
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna | Autofreie Mustersiedlung Floridsdorf housing project | 250 units | New car free residential project, organized by Green party |
| Vienna | "Sizable" car free core near St. Stephens Cathedral | Old center | |
| Feldkirch | Historic center | ||
| Salzburg | A number of streets in the medieval center are car free | Lovely old town with significant car free shopping areas |
[edit] Belgium
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louvain-la-Neuve | Most or all of the city | University town; surface is car free; streets and parking are below pedestrian streets | |
| Brugge (Bruges) |
Medieval town with large car free center | ||
| Gent | 350,000 m² Entire city heart | 80.000 in car- free zone | Largest car free area in Belgium; Public transport, taxis and permit holders may enter but not exceed 5 km/h |
[edit] Denmark
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strøget, Copenhagen | Large downtown car free shopping area | Central Copenhagen is one of the largest and oldest examples of auto-free zones, heavily used, much tourist traffic. The city's bicycle paths are extensive and well-used. photos | |
| Christiania community, Copenhagen | All of an old military reservation | 850 | Several streets with recycled and ad-hoc buildings; car free |
[edit] Finland
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suomenlinna | 0.8 km² island | 850 | car free fortress in Helsinki, service traffic allowed. |
[edit] France
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mont St. Michel | 4 km² island | about 60 | car free fortress/abbey |
| Île de Porquerolles, near Toulon | Entire island is car-lite and many areas car free | 5000 (summers) | Resort |
| Île de Sein (Enez Sun) | Entire island is car free | ||
| Île de Bréhat, Bretagne | Entire island is car free | 421 | Easy for walking/biking |
| Lyon | Avenue de la Republique, Rue Victor Hugo, and side streets | Metro area is about 1.7 million; car free area unknown | 17th-18th C mixed-use 6-story area |
| Lyon | Part of Vieux Lyon | Medieval quarter | |
| Port Grimaud | Resort | ||
| Rue Mouffetard, Paris | 0.5 km | ||
| The pedestrian mall next to St. Germain, Paris | is about 1.5 km long and runs from place Odeon to rue Monge | ||
| Pompidou Center, Paris | Modern large-scale development | ||
| Les Halles, Paris | Redeveloped market area | ||
| Montorgueil area, Paris | |||
| Dijon | Small car free center | Old buildings on narrow streets | |
| Strasbourg | Part of the old town | Medieval core | |
| Colmar | Town Center | Large historic pedestrian area in center of town | |
| Chambery | Significant car free area | Medieval quarter | |
| Montpellier | Many car free streets | 11,000 in the medieval quarter | Center of medieval university town |
| La Rochelle | car free area and anti-car policies | 80,000 (entire city) | |
| Tours | Several blocks of the medieval old town are restricted to pedestrians only | Old medieval center | |
| Bordeaux | 4 km of streets | Unknown; morning truck deliveries permitted; limited car access for residents | |
| Sarlat | Old part of city | Reportedly car free and pedestrian friendly except for central main street | |
| Lauzerte | Place des Cornieres | Allegedly car free and pedestrian only except some do not take any notice | |
| Yvoire | Old part of city | Medieval quarter |
[edit] Germany
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freiburg im Breisgau | Large car free center | City 200,000; car free areas perhaps 10,000 | Medieval university town; a very small amount of car traffic is permitted on some streets; trams provide access |
| Freiburg im Breisgau | Vauban district | 5,000 | New district converted from a military base; car parking distributed, trams provide access |
| Freiburg im Breisgau | Rieselfeld district | 10,000 | Car parking distributed, trams provide access |
| Erlangen | Former US-Army area/Hartmannstrasse | some 2.000 | Car parking concentrated in some multi storey car parks |
| Erlangen | Bonhoefferweg-Siedlung | some 200 | Car parking outside the residential area |
| Nürnberg | 9 km of car free streets | ||
| Munich | 7 km of car free streets | id=108 information | |
| Stuttgart | 6.9 km of car free streets | ||
| Lindau | Historic center | ||
| Rothenburg ob der Tauber | 13,000 | ||
| Wittenberg (Gartenstadt Piesteritz) | 1,200 | Development ca. 1915; newly carfree (1994--1999) | |
| Nürnberg - Langwasser | 3,180 | New development (1978-1987) | |
| Hamburg (Stadthaus Schlump) | Small | 45 dwelling units | car free mixed-use conversion of an old hospital |
| Hamburg (Saarlandstraße) | 210 dwellings | New development (2000) | |
| Bremen (Grünenstraße) | 800 m² | 23 dwellings | New development |
| Tübingen (French Quarter) | Some parts of redevelopment car free | ||
| Tübingen (converted military base) | 6000 residents, 2000 jobs | ||
| Munich - Kolumbusplatz(Haidhausen) | 40 dwellings | New development (near downtown) | |
| Munich (Messestadt Riem) | 41 dwellings | car free part of a larger new development | |
| Münster (Geist) Gartensiedlung Weissenburg | 184 dwellings | New development (2001) | |
| Hahnenklee-Bockswiese (Harz) | Most of town | 2,500 | Town in the Harz mountain area |
[edit] German islands and resorts
(Residents are allowed cars on some islands)
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helgoland | Entire island | 1650 | North Sea Island |
| Baltrum | Entire island | 510 | North Sea Island |
| Spiekeroog | Entire island | 730 | North Sea Island |
| Langeoog | Entire island | 1970 | North Sea Island |
| Wangerooge | Entire island | 1180 | North Sea Island |
| Juist | Entire island | 1790 | North Sea Island |
| Hiddensee | Entire island | 1200 | Baltic Sea Island |
| Rerik (Wustrow peninsula) | 69 houses | Largely undeveloped area on a Baltic Sea Peninsula; will probably become less car free as it develops | |
| Niederrathen | Entire village | 500 | Village in Saxony |
| Moritzdorf (Sellin) | Entire village | Village on the island of Rügen | |
| Lechbruck am See | Entire village | Village in Bavaria | |
| Hayingen | Entire village | 105 houses | Village in Swabia |
| Hallig Hooge, Hallig Gröde and Hallig Nordstrandischmoor | North sea islands | total of 100 Inhabitants |
[edit] Greece
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydra Island | Entire island (50 km²) | 3,000 | No motorized vehicles on the entire island |
| Lindos/Rhodes | Entire Town | Motorized traffic impossible due to narrow streets | |
| Mount Athos | Entire Peninsula | 1,400 | Motorized traffic of non residents is prohibited. Local traffic is extremely limited with only some vehicles used by the monastic community for essential communication, and transportation needs |
| Spetses Island | Town only | 4,000 (entire island) | car free, possibly with some violations |
| Downtown Athens | Historic centre | ca. 750,000 (whole municipality) | While designated car free, the ban is apparently widely ignored |
| The city of Rhodes | Medieval centre | ca. 50,000 (entire city) | Motor traffic within the medieval city and mainly near the Knights Hospitaller Grand Master's palace is limited. Limitations are most often ignored, especially by youngsters on scooters. |
[edit] Hungary
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret Island, Budapest | Entire island | Entry by cars forbidden except for a single bus line and taxis; service traffic of local stores and restaurants are allowed to enter |
[edit] Italy
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venice | Entire city except near the train station | Estimated at 70,000 | Medieval city, today highly focused on tourism; transport on foot or by water |
| Siena | Entire city | Perhaps 30,000 | Not entirely car free but most streets have very little traffic |
| Cinque Terre (5 towns on the Gulf of Genoa) |
Most or all of each town | Probably a few thousand each | Some towns are car free, others highly car-moderated |
| Florence | Several streets near Piazza San Lorenzo | Market area of the old city | |
| Rome | Several streets west of the Vatican | ||
| Parma | Small area in the city center, probably 6 to 10 streets | Unknown, probably a few thousand | Probably some delivery trucks permitted during limited hours |
| Naples | Small car free area at center | Shopping area in downtown | |
| Milan | Small area near cathedral | Wide streets completely filled with pedestrians after work | |
| Ferrara | The medieval center has car free streets and is over all "car-lite" | Heavy bike use | |
| Perugia | While the town suffers heavily from cars and traffic, some areas are so narrow that they are car free | Medieval hill town | |
| Assisi | Much of the town is highly car-moderated | Visitors must park at the foot of the hill; some residents' cars are allowed in town | |
| Spoleto | Some parts of the upper old city are car free | Pre-medieval hill town |
[edit] The Netherlands
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giethoorn | Entire town | about 2500 | Transport by canal boat |
| Amsterdam GWL project | 600 unit car free residential area | About 1500 | Modern architecture on the site of a disused waterworks; some car parking at the edge |
| Kalverstraat/Nieuwendijk, Amsterdam | Long main shopping street with many narrow side streets | Unknown; primarily commercial | Shopping district; delivery vehicles allowed in AM |
| Delft | Most of the old center | Medieval center | |
| Islands of Vlieland and Schiermonnikoog | Entire islands | About 1000 residents on each plus lots of tourists in season | Only residents are allowed to bring cars onto the islands |
| Groningen | Most of the old city center | Estimated at 30,000 in the car free area (the city is about 10 times larger) | Medieval center is nearly car free; mixed use area with university |
[edit] Poland
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cracow | |||
| Kielce | |||
| Łódź | |||
| Poznań | |||
| Sopot | |||
| Suwałki | |||
| Toruń | |||
| Warsaw | |||
| Wrocław | |||
| Zakopane | |||
| Zielona Góra | |||
| Złotów |
[edit] Portugal
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Óbidos | Entire area of walled town | Around 3,100 | Medieval walled hill town (now tourist area); only residents permitted to drive into the town, although cars are a nuisance |
| Baixa, Lisbon | One long shopping street, with a few side streets | 18th C 5-story mixed use | |
| Santarém | Most of the streets in the oldest part of town | 64,124 | 3 story, old, mixed use area |
| Faro | Some of the downtown area | 50,000 (whole city) | 6 to 8 old streets that form a small network in the center of town |
| Tavira | Some of the old downtown | 25,000 (whole city) | Narrow, winding streets in the old part of town. |
| Évora | Most of the old walled city | 8500 (in the walled city) | Some cars |
| Coimbra | Many small streets | Old medieval quarter | |
| Viseu | A number of narrow streets in the town center | Largely intact medieval city; on Fridays, the entire old center is car free |
[edit] Spain
| Location | Area | Population | Character | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Málaga | 3,900 m² car free and limited access streets | Moorish and XIX century historic center | ||
| Seville | Santa Cruz district has many narrow, car free streets | Medieval/Renaissance quarter | ||
| Madrid Puerta del Sol | 6 blocks square (limited car access) | Busy central area | ||
| Segovia | Large parts of the old, walled city | Medieval area | ||
| Santiago de Compostela | Large central pedestrian zone | |||
| Ayamonte (in S.W. corner) | Downtown commercial district | Old medieval quarter with very narrow streets; river town on the flanks of a hill | ||
| Barri Gòtic, Barcelona | A number of car free streets, others car-light | Tens of thousands | Medieval center | |
| Algeciras | Large network of car free shopping streets | Historic centre | ||
| Girona | Rambla (promenade and shopping street) and network of narrow residential streets | Historic centre | ||
| Granada | Albaicin neighborhood (limited car access on a few streets) | Historic Moorish quarter | ||
| Laguardia (Biasteri) photos | ||||
| Valladolid | Central square and surrounding streets. | Historic centre, although most buildings are now modern. |
[edit] Sweden
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gamla stan, Stockholm (Old Town) | Most of the old heart (ca. 0.3 km²) | 3000 | Oldest part of the city; medieval area; low traffic in central parts of the Old Town during part of the day, AM deliveries allowed and taxis allowed 24 h; there is no supervision and no control so in reality the medieval city is not essentially car free. photos |
| Malmö | Large pedestrian precinct | City center; further expansion planned | |
| Växjö, Sweden | Entire city center | car free district in fossil-fuel reduced city (external link) | |
| Jakriborg | Entire village | 800 - 2000 | Newbuilt suburb/village in old style, connected to Malmö and Lund via rail. |
| Southern Göteborg Archipelago | Archipelago including Vrångö, Brännö, Styrsö, and Vargö | 5,000 permanent, another 6,000 summer | West of Gothenburg |
[edit] Switzerland
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zermatt | Entire town | 5687 | car free Alpine resort with prototype "Utility Area" at the entrance; slow electric taxis and freight vehicles used, although these are sometimes driven at higher speeds |
| Bettmeralp | Entire town | Alpine resort | |
| Braunwald | Entire town | 398 | Alpine resort |
| Riederalp | Entire town | 555 | Alpine resort |
| Rigi | Entire town | Alpine resort | |
| Saas-Fee | Entire town | 1607 | Alpine resort; small electric utility vehicles |
| Stoos | Entire town | Alpine resort | |
| Wengen | Entire town | 1400 | Alpine resort |
| Zürich | Large parts of the old town | car free medieval urban core | |
| Lausanne | Large parts of the old town | The lower mediaeval part of the old town is car free. Cars are allowed but uncommon in the upper ancient part. Taxis are allowed. | |
| Geneva | 10 streets | 10,000 | car free areas in the heart |
| Basel | Parts of the medieval town are car free | The city is heavily dependent on an excellent tram system and most of the center city is highly car moderated if not car free | |
| St. Gallen | Old center | car free | |
| Neuchâtel | Old center | car free | |
| Appenzell | Old center | car free | |
| Gstaad | Village center | car free | |
| Gruyere | Village center | Reportedly significant car free area | |
| Rapperswil | Medieval center | car free center | |
| Brig | Perhaps 10 blocks in downtown | Old part of the city, mixed use | |
| Winterthur | Historic center | ||
| Lugano | Most of the old quarter | ||
| Mürren | Entire town | 450 | Alpine resort; some utility traffic |
| Gimmelwald | Entire town | 130 | Small village |
| Bern - Halen | 79 apartments | Terraced neighborhood; built 1961; parking at edge | |
| ID=592 Boll-Sinneringen - Wohnanlage Schloßpark | 73 apartments | Built 1996; parking at edge |
[edit] UK and Channel Islands
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island of Sark (Channel Islands) | Whole island | 560 | Entirely car free (only motorized vehicles are tractors) |
| Island of Herm (Channel Islands) | Whole island | 60 | Cars and bicycles are both banned (quad bikes are allowed) |
| Cambridge | City centre and university campus | Several thousand | University town with heavy tourism; cars banned most of the day from centre |
| Oxford | Areas in city centre | Medieval university town. Cornmarket Street, Radliffe Square surrounding the Radcliffe Camera and University Church, and Brasenose Lane are pedestrian only; Queen Street is bus only; many surrounding streets have restricted vehicular access | |
| Salisbury | City centre and cathedral close | 115,800 | Large section of town centre is car free, including the Cathedral Close |
| Edinburgh | Slateford Green car free development | ||
| York | Several vibrant alley ways in the centre, including The Shambles | 183,100 | Streets too narrow for cars |
| Leeds, Yorkshire | Large part of the city centre | 715,200 | Pedestrian precinct |
| Lincoln | Several cobbled streets around the Cathedral | 86,000 | car free area near the centre |
| Isles of Scilly | Group of islands off Land's End | Combined population of 2000 | Island of Tresco is car free |
| Clovelly | Village in North Devon | ?? | Entirely car-free |
[edit] Other Europe
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prague, Czech Republic | Large car free area starting at Old Town Square and extending across the river | Medieval quarter | |
| Tábor, Czech Republic | "Modest network of car free streets" | Old town | |
| Kraków, Poland | Large car free area around the Old Town Square encircled by a park known as Planty | 5,345 (Old Town in 1998), 780,000 (whole city - 2004) | Old town |
| Dubrovnik, Croatia | The old walled city | Nearly car free | |
| Rovinj, Croatia | The old town is reported to be largely or entirely car free | Undoubtedly medieval | |
| Arbat Street, Moscow | Small district | Old area just outside the historic center. | |
| Vilnius, Lithuania | Large car free area reported | One of the largest surviving medieval quarters in Europe | |
| Kaunas, Lithuania | Laisves Aleja | A double tree lined five block pedestrian shopping street car free other than intersections | |
| Riga, Latvia | Old town | The walled old town is nearly car free, requiring enough permits and entrance fees for motor vehicles that cars are seldom seen | |
| Tallinn, Estonia | "Modest network of car free streets" | Old town | |
| Büyükada Island, Istanbul, Turkey | One of the nine Marmara Sea islands, resort area | 1500 ( ) | Almost entirely car free |
| Kotor, Montenegro | The old town is car free. | 23,481 | The old Mediterranean port of Kotor, surrounded by an impressive city wall, is very well preserved and protected by UNESCO. |
| Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria | Downtown | This small university town of 60,000 contains a quite substantial pedestrian area, with one long walking street and several smaller ones, in addition to two large and one extremely large car free squares. | |
| Pazardzhik, Bulgaria | Downtown | A medium sized Bulgarian city (roughly 80,000 inhabitants) contains a proportionately large pedestrian network, where in one instance five different pedestrian streets intersect. |
[edit] North America
[edit] Canada
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whistler, British Columbia | 9,000~25,000 | Auto-Free European Village. | |
| Calgary, Alberta | 7 & 8th Avenue Malls | Non-Residential | 7th Ave. is a transit mall; 8th Ave. is a pedestrian mall for several blocks that offers some retailers selling coffee, food, drinks and tourist merchandise. |
| Toronto Islands | Several car free islands just off downtown | 700 | Urban park and ecological community. Accessible by ferry or private boat from downtown Toronto. Bicycles are permitted on ferries. |
| Distillery District, Toronto, Ontario | Wide array of pedestrian-only walkways | Historic industrial district; red brick, art galleries, shops, cafes, residences, various festivals, breweries, distilleries, winemaking, pubs, fresh beer, bicycle parking, adjacent to Don Valley bicycle trail network through the city. | |
| Outer Harbour East Headland (Leslie Street Spit), Toronto | 5 km-long man-made peninsula | 0 | Wilderness area downtown. Access by bicycle, pedestrian or boat. |
| Sparks Street, Ottawa, Ontario | 6 blocks | Non-residential | Shopping street 1 block south of Canadian Parliament Building. |
| Mont-Tremblant, Quebec | Ski resort built as an Auto-Free European-style village. | ||
| Quebec City, Quebec | A few streets in the oldest part of the town | 528,595 | Rue Saint-Jean is car-free for most of the day during the tourist season. |
| Dodge Cove, Digby Island, British Columbia | An island village near Prince Rupert | 100 | Artisan and Commuter Community |
| George Street, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador | An historic street dotted with pubs | ||
| Victoria Row, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island} | 32,174 | Small street next to a library, with cafes, restaurants and an art gallery, which is pedestrianized in the summer |
[edit] Mexico
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guadalajara, Jalisco | Zona Peatonal, Downtown | 3,000,000 | 15 streets dedicated to pedestrians. Surrounded by civic, touristic and commercial areas |
| Guanajuato, Guanajauato | Most of the historic town | 70,798 | One main narrow street running through town; the few remaining streets run underground |
[edit] Costa Rica
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parismina, Limon | Entire Village | 600 | Small coastal village has no paved roads and one tractor for trash collection. |
[edit] Puerto Rico
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Río Piedras | Zona Peatonal Paseo de Diego | 1,000,000 / Part of city | Working class colonial neighbourhood, about 1 km dedicated to pedestrians, commercial areas, served by new automated Tren Urbano nearby University of Puerto Rico and Botanical Gardens. |
| Old San Juan, Puerto Rico | (In planing stages) large portion of historic district | Aprox 7,000 | Narrow cobblestone streets, buildings and numerous public plazas and churches which date back to the 16th and 17th century. A modern tramway line to serve the area is in the planning stages. |
[edit] United States
With a few notable exceptions, most US cities have only relatively small car free zones.
| State | Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | Bald Head Island | entire Island | 173 | Exclusive, golf-cart-based community |
| Maine | Monhegan Island | entire Island | 75 permanent residents | Car free except for a truck that delivers luggage for tourist (also electricity free, all electricity comes from a town run generator) |
| Michigan | Mackinac Island | entire Island | 600 permanent residents | Resort island; horse-and-buggy transport |
| Michigan | Russell Island | entire Island | 150 cottages | Car free resort community accessible only by boat; only bikes and golf carts are allowed on the island |
| Virginia | Tangier Island | entire Island | 604 | car free fishing & tourism community |
| Arizona | Arcosanti | entire Town | 100 | Arcology being built by Paolo Soleri |
| California | Catalina Island | most of Island | 3,696 | car free except for gasoline-powered golf carts in the town of Avalon |
| New York | Fire Island | most of Island | 310 | Most of the island is accessible only by passenger ferries, or by foot or bicycle from the parking lot at the western end (which is reachable by a cars-only bridge); wagons used for transport. Residents can get car access permits for non-summer months. |
| New York | Roosevelt Island | most of Island | 9,500 | Cars are allowed on one bridge and on spine road, but can only be parked at one central parking garage. Access is via subway, tram, or riverfront footpaths. |
| South Carolina | Daufuskie Island | part of Island & Haig Point | 429 | Car free resort development of the 1980s, only accessible by ferry. Private residential golf development on an island adjacent to Hilton Head Island, SC. Golf carts allowed. Other areas of the island have limited cars. |
| California | Venice | Venice Canals | 30,000 (pop. of Venice) | A small portion of a large canal system created by Abbot Kinney to be the 'Venice of America' still exists. A majority of the canals were filled in 1929 to make way for the automobile. A square roughly 300 meters on a side. |
| California | Columbia | Pedestrian mall | Small car free district at the center | |
| California | Sacramento | 'K' Street Mall, 12 blocks (1 mile) of 'K' Street, including an outdoor shopping mall and pedestrian freeway underpass to the old city historic district. | car free shopping, entertainment, business and mixed-use residential district | |
| California | Santa Monica | Third Street Promenade, 1/2 mile (800 m) of 3rd Street | car free shopping district, with further expansion planned | |
| California | Davis | University of California Campus | Extensive bicycle path network linking all points into a regional bicycle transportation system. Large areas of the city "bicycle only". | |
| California | Riverside | Pedestrian mall | The Main Street Pedestrian Mall is absolutely car free, and extends through several blocks of the center of the city. Notables include historic Mission Inn and the Riverside Photography Museum. | |
| Colorado | Aspen | Pedestrian malls | Three blocks of E. Hyman Ave., S. Mill St., and E. Cooper Ave. in downtown, adjacent to Wagner Park, have been pedestrianized. | |
| Colorado | Boulder | Pedestrian mall | At the city center; there is some debate as to whether this really is a car free area or not. The Pearl Street Mall is absolutely car free, and extends through several blocks of the center of the city. | |
| Colorado | Fort Collins | 7 acres (28,000 m²), 4 streets | City population 115,000 | Old Town, commercial district, no traffic except for maintenance crews; area includes 60 apartments for the elderly |
| Colorado | Fort Collins | Colorado State University, 4 long streets | 25,000 students | car free area of university campus, to be expanded |
| Colorado | Denver | 16th Street Mall, about a mile (1.6 km) long | Transit mall with pedestrian-only extensions. However, electric buses and police cars drive throughout the area at all times, alongside pedicabs and horse-drawn carriages. It is forbidden to ride ordinary bicycles along the mall except on Sundays, and bicycles parked on the mall are impounded by police after a few hours' notice. | |
| Florida | Miami | Lincoln Road Mall, 7 blocks or 0.5 mile (800 m) | Shopping, socializing, cafes, dining al fresco in the heart of the Art Deco district | |
| Georgia | Metro Atlanta | East Lake Commons, 67 dwellings planned | Probably 200 | Parking will be located on the perimeter of the village. Access within the village core will be by walking, carts, and bicycles |
| Iowa | Iowa City | Pedestrian mall | Several blocks of the Iowa City-Ped Mall, located near the University of Iowa campus in the Old Capital district, are completely car free. | |
| Louisiana | New Orleans | Several blocks between the French Quarter and the river | Car free mixed use area served by Vintage Streetcar Line. | |
| Massachusetts | Boston | Downtown Crossing, several car free streets | Heart of the commercial district in old downtown Boston | |
| Massachusetts | Cambridge | Memorial Drive | Closed to cars on Sundays (11AM-7PM) starting the last Sunday of April until the 2nd Sunday of November. See http://www.cambridgema.gov/Traffic/MemorialDriveClosedSundays.cfm | |
| Minnesota | Minneapolis | skyway 5 miles (8 km) of enclosed overhead passageways | 1,500 residences; 4,000 hotel rooms | Commercial/retail heart of the city. 200 million square feet (19 km²) of office space, and 2.5 million square feet (230,000 m²) of retail space. |
| Minnesota | Minneapolis | Nicollet Mall Central E/W downtown street; access to motor-vehicles limited to Metro Transit busses | Wide street level sidewalks give access to popular retail and dining establishments as well as many of downtown Minneapolis's office towers | |
| Minnesota | Saint Paul | skyway a grid of enclosed overhead and underground passageways | Commercial/retail heart of the city. | |
| New York | Ithaca | Ithaca Commons (pedestrian mall) | 30,000 (entire city of Ithaca) | Downtown car free area of 1 street, 2 blocks long |
| New York | Buffalo | Main Street Mall (Buffalo), Downtown light-rail "main street" mall | Theater district, retail, restaurants, pedestrian/LRV mall | |
| Nevada | Las Vegas | Fremont Street Experience | 6,489 hotel rooms | Car free 5+ block pedestrian mall with 60 restaurants, 10 casinos, 2 stages, overhead light show and a brewery. Pedestrian 'friendly' 3 block extension with extra wide sidewalks and lots of small clubs. The main casino strip also has pedestrian bridges over the streets. Room numbers for FSE only. |
| Oregon | Portland | RiverPlace, pedestrian promenade about 1/2 mile (800 m) long (the only large car free area); pedestrian alleys connect other buildings to the promenade; the site is 73 acres (300,000 m²) | 1,200 | Mixed-use development along the riverfront including apartments, retail, restaurants, a small market, and a waterfront pedestrian promenade |
| Oregon | Portland | Portland Center, two pedestrian streets run parallel through the development, which includes two parks (car free streets total about 1 mile (1.6 km) length) | 1200 | Mixed-use development with apartments, retail, and offices |
| South Carolina | Harbour Town, Hilton Head, South Carolina | Artificial harbor with promenade and shops | Few hundred | Car free resort community from the 1960s and 70s |
| South Carolina | Shelter Cove Harbor, Hilton Head, South Carolina | Artificial harbor with promenade and shops, larger than Harbour Town | Several hundred | Car free resort community 1980s |
| Virginia | Colonial Williamsburg | 5 blocks plus side streets (from 09:00 to 17:00) | 100 families of workers | Restored Colonial-era village |
| Tennessee | Memphis | Main Street Mall, 3/4 of a mile (1200 m) | 5000 | Car free mixed-use district in the heart of the city |
| Tennessee | Knoxville | Market Square, (150 m) | One-block pedestrian mall in Knoxville's historic downtown, surrounded by shops and restaurants and used year-round for various outdoor events | |
| Texas | San Antonio | River Walk | 1,296,682 | Mixed-use development along the riverfront including apartments, retail, restaurants, a small market, and a waterfront pedestrian promenade; Entertainment and shopping district (similar to Venice, Italy-most people travel on the River Walk via boats) |
| Vermont | Burlington | Church Street Marketplace | 38,889 Burlington proper (2000 Census) | Pedestrianized main downtown shopping street, 4 car free blocks. Bicycles must be walked. |
| Virginia | Charlottesville | Pedestrian mall | 120 shops, 30 restaurants, outdoor concert space in historic brick paved downtown area, free Trolley to University of Virginia campus | |
| Wisconsin | Madison | State St | 200,000 (approx) | 6 block car free retail street connecting the university and the capitol. Traditional street & sidewalk layout; the street is used by buses, bicycles, police cars, taxicabs, and numerous delivery (motor) vehicles; pedestrians and the occasional delivery vehicle (parked) on the sidewalks. |
[edit] South America
[edit] Argentina
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires | Downtown pedestrian circuit [Microcentro] | 2.9 million (Capital) | The pedestrian circuit in the city centre is composed by Florida Street, about 12 blocks, 5 blocks of Lavalle Street, one block of Diagonal Norte, two blocks Tres Sargentos Street and one block of the Pasaje Carlos Discepolo, very vibrant area with many restaurants, theatres, shopping, etc, a short walk from the obelisk, people throng here, streets are entirely car free, but crossing streets are not. Access by bus and the Metro (subte) Line C. Buenos Aires, for the most part, is a very walkable city. |
| Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires | City centre waterfront | Part of city | Very successful waterfront redevelopment area. Highly pedestrianized and car free mixed use district witch includes corporate headquarters, luxury condos, residential and business lofts, five star hotels, exclusive restaurants, parks and an ecological reserve. Puerto Madero website.
A recently inaugurated 2 kilometre modern tramway (Tranvía del Este) line serves the area. |
| La Boca, Buenos Aires | Several blocks of main street | Part of city | Barrio La Boca is a colourful working class neighbourhood where descendants of Italian immigrants once settled, El Caminito, its main street, is pedestrianized and touristy.
An extension of Puerto Madero's light rail tram system to Retiro Station and Barrio La Boca is contemplated. |
| Greater Buenos Aires | Tren de la Costa, car free artery | 12.4 million | A unique suburban modern leisure tramway artery that stretches for 15 kilometres by the River Plate from Olivos to the village of Tigre, each of its eleven “turn of the century” picturesque stations have a charm of its own with its plazas, cafes, antique shops, movie theatres, boutiques, restaurants and regional product markets. You can get on and off during the day as many times as you wish. Good sample of Transit-oriented development. Tren de la Costa website. |
| Tigre, Buenos Aires | Delta | Several thousand | The village of Tigre is the starting point of the magnificent Delta where commuter mahogany launches reminiscent of the roaring twenties travel its web of connecting rivers and streams dotted with week-end homes, English style rowing clubs, countless marinas, large mansions from the Belle Époque and a variety of recreational complexes which offer food, lodging and entertainment. Total absence of cars. |
| Mendoza | Several blocks, centre of town | 111,000 | Wide tree-lined streets, many parks and plazas, ceramic-tiled sidewalks, pedestrianised “Peatonal Sarmiento” adjacent to Plaza Independencia features many outdoor cafe's, restaurants, wine bars and shops. City is served by antiquated trolleybus lines. Mendoza is the capital of the wine producing Mendoza Province. |
| Rosario | Central business district | 300,000 | Almost 2 kilometre of retail area, system of parks that line the riverfront area. |
| Córdoba | various pedestrian circuits | 1.2 million | The city’s downtown includes 2 kilometres of pedestrianized areas with theatres, shops, outdoor cafes, restaurants, parks and plazas, and an active nightlife. Trolleybus and bus provide access. |
| La Cumbrecita, Córdoba | First pedestrian village in Argentina | Several hundred | A beautiful small picturesque secluded alpine-like village in the Province of Córdoba settled by central Europeans. Focused on eco-tourism, no paved roads, transport on foot.
Excursions to La Cumbrecita can be taken from nearby Villa General Belgrano, not car free but pedestrian friendly. |
[edit] Brazil
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curitiba, Brazil | car free area in downtown, 24 linear blocks | 2.7 million (2000 census) | Twenty blocks in the heart of the city are paved with decorative tile in which vehicular traffic is restricted to delivery trucks at set hours, part of this area was pedestrianized in the 70's. It includes much of the historic district. photos Its served by a unique bus system running on dedicated streets and providing excellent, low-cost service. [1] |
| Ilha do Mel, Paraná, Brazil | Small Island offshore of Paranaguá | The Island has two small fishing villages | The entire Island is car free, and even cattle free. All goods and materials are carted around by big wheel barrows. Economy is traditionally fishing but Ecotourism is now a big part of economy. 95% of Island is now an ecological reserve. Villages are connected by 2 meter wide sandy walking paths |
| Ilha Grande, Rio de janeiro, Brazil | Entire island | 177.832[1] | Large car-free island off the coast of the state, part of Angra dos Reis municipality. Only allowed vehicles are bycicles, tractors and rentable jeeps. |
| Paquetá Island, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Entire island | About 7000 | car free island in Guanabara Bay, an hour by water from downtown Rio |
[edit] Chile
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago, Chile | Three interconnected streets in downtown square | 5.4 million | Ahumada, Huerfanos & Estado Streets around Plaza de Armas, the city's main square and historical centre. Shopping, office and cultural activities. Santiagos ultra modern line 5 metro station is located under the plaza. |
[edit] Colombia
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bogotá, Colombia | The Ciclovía, 110 kilometers of roads throughout the city | 6.5 million | The Ciclovía roads are closed to traffic Sundays and holidays for 7 hours, from 0700 to 1400, when more than 1.5 million people practice various sports, visit the recreational facilities, or go to cycle-mass. The city also plans to become largely car free during rush hour by the year 2015.
Articles: Bogotá's green revolution [2] The Politics of Happiness [3] |
[edit] Africa
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamu, Kenya | Entire Island | Several thousand but exact population unknown. | Lamu town is an old, Swahilli settlement where only foot, cycle and donkey traffic is allowed. |
| Fes el Bali, Morocco | Entire medina of Fes | 156,000 (2002), making it the most populated car free district in the world | Fes-al-Bali, the larger of the two medinas of Fes, is a nearly intact medieval city. The entire medina was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, with 13,380 historic buildings since enumerated in the course of a thorough GIS survey of the medina. There are reputed to be 10,539 retail businesses in the medina, which remains a prime commercial center of the city of Fes (population about 1,000,000). Fes-el-Bali's medieval streets are entirely inaccessible by automobile. Only foot, cycle, donkey and cart traffic is even possible. A few access streets for emergency vehicles are being built. |
[edit] Middle East
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jerusalem, Israel | Old City | 35,000 | Most of the old walled city is a maze of interesting alleys and narrow streets accessible only to foot traffic. Small motorised "mini-tractors" are permitted for goods delivery. Previously the area was truly car-free when donkeys were used for goods delivery, but they are now banned because of the associated hygiene problems. |
| Jerusalem, Israel | Ben Yehuda Street | N/A | Part of this central thoroughfare was pedestrianized in the 1980s and has since become a major commercial center. |
| Tel Aviv, Israel | Nachalat Binyamin | N/A | This is a pedestrianized street lined by shops and cafes, which hosts a weekly arts fair. |
| Beirut, Lebanon | Downtown Beirut | N/A | The area is filled with shops, restaurants and cafes. |
[edit] Asia
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Bay, Hong Kong (People's Republic of China) | Modern residential development set on the northeastern coast of Lantau Island | 14,300 | Private cars are prohibited on the road network in Discovery Bay; however buses and delivery vehicles as well as vehicles owned by the developer are allowed. Residents travel internally via the bus network or a controlled number of private golf carts; and commute externally via the ferry or external bus service which connects with the mass transit systems in Hong Kong. |
| Ma Wan, Hong Kong (People's Republic of China) | Entire island dominated by Park Island residential development | ? | Private cars are prohibited on the island, which has road connections to the Lantau Link; however buses and delivery vehicles as well as vehicles owned by the developer are allowed. Residents commute externally via the ferry or external bus service which connects with the mass transit systems in Hong Kong. |
| Cheung Chau, Hong Kong (People's Republic of China) | Entire island | 30,000 | No full size automobiles allowed. A few miniature emergency vehicles exist as do small utilitarian vehicles. Residents walk, via an extensive and well-maintained network of trails. Ferries take residents to the rest of Hong Kong. |
| Lamma Island, Hong Kong (People's Republic of China) | Third largest island in Hong Kong | 6,000 | No full size automobiles allowed, except for the area within the Hongkong Electricity power station. A few miniature emergency vehicles exist as do small utilitarian vehicles. Residents walk, via an extensive and well-maintained network of trails. Ferries take residents to and from the two largest settlements to the rest of Hong Kong. |
| Dayan Old Town, Lijiang City, Yunnan, (People's Republic of China) | Tourist area of Lijiang City | ? | Cars are prohibited in this section of Lijiang; however, given the cobblestone paths, bridges and network of waterways, driving would be impossible anyway. Though tourism is the dominant economic activity, the residents here rely on foot, basket, and trike to keep the area functioning. Called the "Venice of the East" by some. |
| GuLangYu, Xiamen FuJian, People's Republic of China | Small Island near Xiamen | ? | All vehicles, including bicycles, are banned on the island, with some electric busses circulating for public transit. |
| Pontocho & Nishiki Market, Kyoto, Japan | Central market district | ? | Three covered pedestrian streets (Nishiki, Teramachi, Shinkyogoku) and several open-air, pedestrian-only streets, including main food market and shopping streets. |
[edit] Australia
| Location | Area | Population | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rottnest Island, Western Australia | Tourist island | 300 permanent residents | No cars allowed on island, all transport is on foot or bicycles. Occasional tourist bus. |
| Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne Victoria | Major street of Melbourne, major retail shopping precinct. | 3.74 million | Permanently closed to private traffic between Swanston and Elizabeth Streets, this area is open to traffic by foot or tram. |
| Swanston Street, Melbourne Victoria | Main street of Melbourne. | 3.74 million | Closed to daytime private through traffic between Flinders and La Trobe Streets, this area open to traffic by foot or tram. |
| Civic Square, Canberra ACT | Central shopping area from Civic Bus Interchange, all the way down to Glebe Park, Canberra. Includes Garema Place and Petrie Plaza. Until recently, Civic Bus Interchange was also a Shared Zone, however shared zone signs have now been removed and replaced with standard 20km/h speed limit signs, thus removing right of way for pedestrians. | No private cars. An area frequented by tourists, students and shoppers. Plenty of bike parking exists. | |
| Pitt St Mall, Sydney NSW | Pedestrian shopping Mall between Market Street and King Street and is one of Australia's busiest and most cosmopolitan shopping precincts. |
