Milan Commits to a Less Car-Centric New Normal

Milan is making changes to its streets to ensure that the city's residents and employment base don't overwhelm the city with new automobile traffic when the city reopens for business.

1 minute read

April 22, 2020, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Street Fiori Oscuri

Olgysha / Shutterstock

"Milan is to introduce one of Europe’s most ambitious schemes reallocating street space from cars to cycling and walking, in response to the coronavirus crisis," reports Laura Laker. 

But the development has an additional layer of motivation that makes Milan a city to watch in the future, whenever the world's cities begin to emerge from pandemic: the city wants to make it harder for people to drive when the crisis is over. "City officials hope to fend off a resurgence in car use as residents return to work looking to avoid busy public transport," as explained by Laker.

To achieve those goals, the city has announced a plan to convert 22 miles of streets into an experimental citywide expansion of space for pedestrians and people on bikes to protect residents as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.

More details on the Strade Aperte plan is available in the source article.


Tuesday, April 21, 2020 in The Guardian

courses user

As someone new to the planning field, Planetizen has been the perfect host guiding me into planning and our complex modern challenges. Corey D, Transportation Planner

As someone new to the planning field, Planetizen has been the perfect host guiding me into planning and our complex modern challenges.

Corey D, Transportation Planner

Ready to give your planning career a boost?

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

Seattle Legalizes Co-Living

A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.

December 1, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Times Square in New York City empty during the Covid-19 pandemic.

NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project

Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.

December 1, 2024 - StreetsBlog NYC

'Vertical canyon' on glass-clad residential high-rise in Denver, CO.

Denver's New High-Rise Integrates Vertical Canyon in Architectural Design

Unlike other new builds in Denver, Colorado, a new high-rise reveals a unique “sculptural canyon” running vertically through the facade to foster a sense of community and connection to nature.  

November 29, 2024 - designboom

View of snowy buildings and mountains in background in Denver, Colorado.

Federal Resilience Program a Lifeline for Affordable Housing Providers

The little-known Green and Resilient Retrofit Program funds upgrades and repairs that improve efficiency and comfort in existing housing stock.

30 minutes ago - Next City

Woman rides bike on paved walkway through plaza in Fort Worth, Texas.

Fort Worth To Relaunch Bike Share System in January

Trinity Metro shuttered its current system at the end of November and plans to relaunch with a mostly-electric system.

1 hour ago - KERA News

Blue Kansas City transit bus on Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri.

A Brief History of Kansas City’s Microtransit

The city’s costly experiment with on-demand transit is yielding to more strategic investment.

2 hours ago - Bloomberg CityLab

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.