'When you're accustomed to #privilege, any demand for more equality feels like oppression.' (cartoon by Fabian Todorovic)
Cars are seldom the best tool for the job when we think about urban mobility... (๐น by Bike Is Best)
Reducing access for car traffic is often opposed by asking 'But what about the emergency vehicles!!1!' Which of these two situations would you prefer if you need an ambulance or firetruck?
By making the Boulevard Pรฉriphรฉrique 50km/h, Paris created more livable and sustainable urban spaces: โ๏ธ๐ถโโ๏ธ more pedestrian friendly spaces; โ๏ธ๐ณ 50.000 trees; โ๏ธ๐ -20% congestion; โ๏ธ๐ -19% crashes; โ๏ธ๐ง -3 dB noise (especially at night); โ๏ธ๐ซ๏ธ -13% NOx; โ๏ธโ๏ธ -24% fine particles
A good way to show people what a healthy mobility diet looks like: travel most like the bottom, and least like the top.
An inspiring before - after from the land that invented car dependency. If Seattle๐บ๐ธ can change, why can't your city?
New research in UK, US and NL re-establishes the existence of carbrian or 'motonormativity': the double standards we apply to our car dependent status quo. It also uncovers its social/spatial roots and shows how people dramatically underestimate support for change.
Cars are not the problem, but they clearly show us what the problems are. Similarly cycling was, is and never will be the solution. But it is the humble means to effectively solve a lot of complex challenges.
NY City's congestion charge after one month: ๐ป 1Million cars disappeared;โ๏ธ Rush hour traffic delays down 59%; ๐ Bus ridership up 6-21%; ๐ Metro ridership up 7-12%; ๐ฐ Expected daily revenue of 3 Million $. โฅ๏ธ 'We love it!' Source in comment
New study: On average, each shared car replaces ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ in Zรผrich.๐จ๐ญImagine what you can do with all that freed up street space! ๐ณ๐๐คธ๐งโ๐ฆฝโ๏ธ
The Boomstraat in Tilburg became a Fietsstraat and that led to: ๐ฆ Quieter mornings; ๐ซ๏ธ Cleaner air; ๐ซ A stronger sense of community; โฉ Faster traffic flow. This 30-second clip tells a 20-minute story of what urban mobility can look like.
In Merwedekanaalzone Gemeente Utrecht builds biggest 'car-free' district: ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ 10.000 inhabitants; ๐ฒ 21.500 bicycles; ๐๏ธ High density/diversity; ๐ Energy-neutral; ๐ Shared mobility; ๐ณ Abundant green spaces; ๐ Communal gardens; ๐ฉโ๐ง Neighbourhood janitor
The Dutch๐ณ๐ฑ don't arrive by bike at the Train Station. They arrive by train at the Bike Station! ๐ 50% of train travellers arrive by bike; ๐ฒ 33.000 bike parking spots around Utrecht CS; ๐ฐ Annual investment: โฌ510 million (โฌ30 per capita);๐ฉโโ๏ธ Annual savings: โฌ19 billion in health savings
The Dutch๐ณ๐ฑ don't arrive by bike at the Train Station. They arrive by train at the Bike Station! ๐ 50% of train travellers arrive by bike; ๐ฒ 33.000 bike parking spots around Utrecht CS; ๐ฐ Annual investment: โฌ510 million (โฌ30 per capita);๐ฉโโ๏ธ Annual savings: โฌ19 billion in health savi
You can either have a well-functioning and efficient urban mobility system or you can have cars.The TransMilenio (Bogotรก ๐จ๐ด) and TransJakarta (Jakarta ๐ฎ๐ฉ).
โInitially, everyone thought it would cause gridlock. But people adapted. Now we canโt imagine the highway ever being here.โ By resurfacing the Cheonggyecheon stream, Seoul's turned a urban highway monstrosity into a wholesome meeting place. An inspiring project for us all!
๐จNew evidence on 'traffic evaporation'๐จ. Instead of a collapse, traffic calming leads to more relaxed streets & surroundings. Decrease by: โฌ๏ธ 15-28% (extended projects), โฌ๏ธ 25-69% (city centers), โฌ๏ธ 4-52% (street projects).
Safer streets are not a technical challenge. They are only a political choice! (GIF by Transportation Alternatives)
If only we would have the political will....If only... Another great utopian animation by Jan Kamensky.
In the Netherlands, the most sold car in 2024 was 1.100 KG heavier than in 1990. New study shows that this autobesity explains ALL INCREASE in road injuries and fatalities for pedestrians and cyclists. Who knew...
Who doesn't like that NEW CAR SMELL? You can now give it to your friends and family as Christmas gift!
From Smog to Sustainability: How Paris Transformed Into a Cleaner, Greener City in which its citizens can breath again in only 16 years. When will other cities follow?
[๐จBREAKING๐จ] ๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ. In heavily contested referendum, 53% voted against 6 major highway extension projects throughout the country. [source in comments]
๐ฎโโ๏ธ: 'Sorry, but you cannot put anything on a parking spot that isn't a car'. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! The Lab of Thought brings you a shared-parklet to reconnect your neighbourhood
'We can't change; our city is not Amsterdam!!' Well, so wasn't Amsterdam! It took courageous decisions and long, deliberate and consistent work. โKinkerstraat, Amsterdam (1985 - 2024)
