Continuing Mayor Anne Hidalgo's efforts to make Paris more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, the city plans to implement a 'car-light' zone in the city center that prohibits through traffic.

In an article in Fast Company, Adele Peters reports on a plan to make a section of downtown Paris 'car-light' by limiting the traffic that can pass through it.
"The area, which the city is calling a zone apaisée or quiet zone, won’t be car-free—residents will still be able to drive there, and if someone is going to a store or art gallery or another destination in the area, they’ll still be able [to] arrive by car." Vehicles will be checked by police and, eventually, automated cameras. "Delivery drivers, taxis, buses, ridesharing vehicles, disabled people, and people going to work in the area will also be able to drive." But banning the more than 100,000 trips made by cars cutting through the zone, writes Peters, can make a significant dent in the neighborhood's air pollution.
Paris has been phasing out the most polluting diesel vehicles, and the government has said that it plans to ban all fossil fuel-powered vehicles by the end of the decade. But the city isn’t relying on electric cars to reach that goal; Instead, it’s working to shift drivers to bikes, walking, or public transportation, which can also improve safety by reducing accidents and open up room for more green space or other uses, improving quality of life.
The project isn't without its critics, notes Peters. "The city police department, which shares jurisdiction for the project, has opposed its immediate rollout, so the city slowed down its timeline. Local business owners have also opposed it, saying that they’re worried they’ll lose customers, though that’s unlikely to happen; in other cities where car traffic has been reduced, pedestrians and cyclists have replaced customers in cars."
Pierre Dornier, the France lead for the Clean Cities Campaign, told Fast Company that it's important for the city to complement the car-light zone with a citywide mobility plan that ensures traffic isn't simply diverted to other areas. According to Dornier, "Paris already has such a strong public transportation system that he thinks the low-traffic zone could be expanded across the whole city."
FULL STORY: In Paris, a new ‘quiet zone’ will ban through-traffic in the the city center

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie