STORY: :: Paris residents vote on whether to pedestrianize an extra 500 city streets
:: Paris, France
:: March 23, 2025
This is the third such referendum in Paris, following a 2023 vote that approved a ban on e-scooters, and a decision last year to triple parking charges for large SUVs.
Residents who said they voted for the measure mentioned that pedestrian-only streets were much more pleasant due to less noise, and that it was important to grow green spaces in the city to counter hotter temperatures.
Voters who were against the proposal argued that it would only worsen car traffic as many roads would be closed, and some cast doubt on whether redirecting vehicles would really lessen pollution.
If passed, the 500 newly “greened” streets would bring the total to nearly 700, making up just over one-tenth of Paris’ streets.
