Four health-conscious cities putting pedestrians first
The pandemic, paired with numerous public-transportation strikes prior to lockdown, only strengthened the popularity of these human-centric and environmentally sustainable initiatives. “The beauty of getting around by foot in Paris is highlighted more since Covid,” said Kathleen Peddicord, founder of Live and Invest Overseas. “Public transportation was a no-go for a long time and was also more uncomfortable having to wear masks. So, more people started using their feet.”
Additional bike lanes have also been introduced to alleviate car traffic. In fact, the city plans to add an additional 180km of bike lanes and 180,000 bike parking spots by 2026.
“I’ve lived in Paris for 14 years, and I can confidently say that I’ve never seen a greater, city-wide transformation than the one that’s happened most recently to encourage cyclists,” said Sadie Sumner, who runs the Paris branch of bike touring company Fat Tire Tours.
Major throughways like