Ten
good reasons to create traffic-free zones
source: Brambilla and Longo
1977, pg. 35
1. To attract people. More people
means more
opportunities for shopping,
socialising, business,
and fun.
2. To provide a sense of place that strengthens
community identity
and community pride. This
improves community
relations and reduces
feelings of alienation,
while creating a place for all
types of people to
congregate.
3. To reduce noise andair pollution.
4. To provide a safe and attractive environment
in
which children can
play and senior citizens can
meet and rest.
5. To improve the visual environment.
Signs, lights,
spaces, colours, and
textures can be designed to
relate to the person
on foot, rather than the person
on wheels.
6. To promote urban conservation, environmental
preservation, building
restoration, and renewal.
7. To increase property values and, consequently,
the city’s revenue
from real estate taxes.
8. To special rights-of-way to be reserved
for
bicycles and public
transportation vehicles. This
improves mobility through
the city centre and
helps save energy.
9. To decrease the number of motor vehicle-related
accidents, saving lives,
police work, and judicial
time.
10. To promote citizen’s participation
in the
inception,
management, monitoring, and
improvement
of the pedestrian area. Thus, the
project
becomes a lively instrument for public
education
in urban life.
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