Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Pedestrian safety

Paris Leads ‘Vision Zero’ New York With Pedestrianized City Center

A big part of central Paris won’t have cars, under a new plan. French speakers will notice that the map refers to the existing Sunday car-free hours. This is the scheme that would be expanded under the mayor’s plan. Photo: City of Paris

Yet another European city — this time, Paris — is showing us just how narrow Mayor de Blasio's Vision Zero really is.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced a plan to pedestrianize "the center of the French capital, which includes landmarks such as Notre Dame Cathedral," the BBC reports on Thursday.

The plans would severely restrict traffic in the center arrondissements of the City of Light, with electric shuttles transporting people, AFP reported. Hidalgo is spinning it as a necessary move to reduce air pollution, but said it was residents who called for the pedestrianization, not the city government.

The move follows a similar effort in London and Madrid, leading many to wonder why New York does not eliminate cars in a small area, such as south of Chambers Street.

https://twitter.com/BayRidgeDrivers/status/1062701498646347777

An email to City Hall early on Thursday was not immediately returned. Streetsblog will update this story upon receipt.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Appellate Court Allows Eric Adams To Rip Up Part of the Bedford Ave. Bike Lane

Mayor Adams can go ahead and remove three blocks of the Bedford Avenue protected bike lane, a court ruled.

July 28, 2025

Six Inane Arguments Mayor Adams Is Using To Defend Ripping Up The Bedford Ave. Bike Lane

City bureaucrats are undermining years of data-driven work to make streets safer in service of that mayor's bid to remove the protected bike lane.

July 28, 2025

Analysis: How to Leverage ‘City of Yes’ Zoning to Create More Housing Near Subways

Streetsblog analyses existing zoning, population and travel times to determine the best places for increasing housing density ... now!

July 28, 2025

Monday’s Headlines: Strung Out Edition

We're still shook about a series of string-related incidents on the Marine Parkway Bridge. Plus more news.

July 28, 2025

No Accident: Red Hook Pool Closure Saga Stems from Adams Administration ‘Underinvestment’

An Olympic-size pool in Red Hook has sat empty since the summer’s start, leaving residents in the area out to dry and pissed off in blistering, record high heat.

July 25, 2025

The Perfect Beast: Even Google’s AI Thinks Streets Are for Cars

Artificial intelligence is completely naturally addicted to promoting cars.

July 25, 2025
See all posts