Paris's Boulevard Peripherique is one of the most clogged roadways in Europe, it delivers dangerous pollution to 100,000 people in its vicinity, and this year it turned 40. Lara Marlowe looks at the future for one of Paris's little loved landscapes.
"Back in 1973, when the périphérique was opened, it was used by 160,000 motorists a day. At age 40, the ring road is entering its midlife crisis. Its future, like that of France, is far from certain. 'What was once a symbol of triumphant modernity has become, in scarcely four decades, a ‘car sewer’,' said Le Figaro . Environmentalists would like to dismantle it. René Dutrey, the Green official responsible for sustainable development at Paris town hall, calls it 'an aberration'."
"[Paris Mayor Bertrand] Delanoë hopes to reduce the legal speed on the highway from 80kmh to 70kmh this summer. The city is experimenting with a new kind of noise-reducing asphalt, and the Greens advocate covering part of the road with an electricity-producing 'solar canopy' that would lessen noise and air pollution," says Marlowe.
But can these initiatives mitigate the harm caused by the virtual moat that "cuts Paris intra muros from the 29 towns of the banlieue"?
FULL STORY: Paris celebrates 40 years of le périph – one of busiest highways in Europe
Who Stands to Benefit from Speed Limit Reductions on the Boulevard Périphérique in Paris?
Proposed plans to reduce the speed limit and narrow the Boulevard Périphérique have sparked debate in Paris. If reelected, Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants to implement these changes in addition to other urban-mobility effective policies.
France Tightens Restrictions on Short-Term Rentals
The vacation rental market is shouldering part of the blame for rising housing costs, particularly in popular tourist destinations.
Eurostar Temporarily Closing Two High-Speed Rail Routes
Eurostar is temporarily closing routes from London to Disneyland Paris and London to Amsterdam.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie