Sustainable Transport: Paris

Sustainable Transport is an annual publication of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. Last fall's issue has a feature article on Paris, the 2008 award winner chosen by the organization because of its multifaceted transportation policy:

- not just Velib bicycle sharing

- but continued expansion of its subway system, and the addition of light rail

- separated bus lanes within the city, Mobilien, which by the way are "contra-flow" lanes often, so you don't have car drivers deciding to poach and use the lane

- Quartier Verts (Green Neighborhoods), a program to reclaim neighborhood streets for the community. Squares and plazas were renovated, sidewalks widened, and new landscaping and raised crosswalks were added. To slow traffic, street directions were revised to carefully eliminate all through-routes, making vehicles exit back onto the avenue from which they entered. The legal speed limit was lowered to 30 km/h from 50 km/h. ...

A network of pedestrian-priority shared streets was also created, where the legal traffic speed was lowered to 15 km/h. New low-floor microbus circulators were introduced to improve local accessibility and connections to transit stations. Free parking was eliminated altogether. Although parking permits are issued to residents for a nominal fee, they are only valid for parking spaces in the immediate vicinity.

- The Espaces Civilisés program was launched to tame the heavy traffic that dominated many of the wider boulevards and avenues. Boulevard de Magenta was one of the first to become a "civilized space." Dubbed by residents as the Magenta expressway, it had endured traffic volumes up to 1,400 vehicles per hour in each direction, frequent speeding, and many fatalities at intersections. Noise and pollution levels were among the highest in the city.

Under the program, 24 million euros were invested (about 260 euros per square meter) into widening sidewalks from 4 to 8 meters, planting trees, and building bikeways. Granite separators were put in to protect a new dedicated bus lane. To accommodate deliveries, 30 minute truck parking spaces were placed on the curb-side of the bus lane. Intersections were made safer with secured crosswalks, widened median refuge islands and extended crossing phases for pedestrians. New pavement, landscaping, and street furniture were added to sidewalks and plazas. Businesses signed "charters of quality," harmonizing displays and signs, and promoting good public space practices.

- and launch plans for car sharing systems (3 different companies) are underway.

In short, Paris has a mobility plan focused on achieving optimal mobility, reduction in vehicle use, and improvement in air quality. According to the article:

These improvements and traffic restraint measures led to a decrease in private vehicle traffic by 20 percent, trucks by 11 percent, and tourist buses by 11 percent between 2001 and 2006. The Metro received the biggest ridership increase, at 12 percent. With the completion of the first Mobilien corridors, bus ridership is also now growing rapidly.

And this demonstrates how focusing on optimal -- balanced -- mobility, which to me means reducing vehicle use, especially cars, overall, is integrally linked with urban design and placemaking initiatives.