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Nothing says "romantic getaway in Paris" like the smell of idling cars and the obnoxious honking of truckers on the move, right? Yeah, Parisians don't agree either.
PARIS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Renowned tourist destination to ban cars along famous river


Daksha Rangan
Digital Reporter

Friday, September 30, 2016, 10:31 AM - Nothing says "romantic getaway in Paris" like the smell of idling cars and the obnoxious honking of truckers on the move, right?

Yeah, Parisians don't agree either.

On Sept. 26 the City of Love approved a motion banning all vehicles along parts of a major road adjacent to the Seine -- one of Paris's most-beloved tourist hot-spots.


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In a matter of weeks the city's 3.2-kilometre Right Bank will be vehicle-free, eventually transforming into a green promenade featuring flowerbeds, restaurants, a bicycle path, and a playground, among other facilities.

VILLE DE PARIS - Seine - Paris, FR

Above: Rendering shows a potential look at Paris's future pedestrian promenade. Image courtesy of Luxigon.

The plan's successful approval was not an easy milestone to reach -- a survey of 292 locals found that public support of pedestrianization was low: only 45 in were in support, while 219 had negative feelings about it. The survey participants account for a tiny part of Paris's population, but they shared common ground with many officials.


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Opponents argue that the bustling riverside highway is key to urban sustainability in Paris -- without full access to it, business prospects would be compromised.

VILLE DE PARIS - Seine - Paris, FR

Above: A winter perspective of the Seine promenade. Image courtesy of Luxigon.


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Those against the plan weren't exactly wrong, either. During July and August parts of the quayside highway was closed due to the Paris-Plages project, a "Seine-side holiday" that allows locals to siesta by the river.

The closure extended into August, CityLab reports, a time when traffic ramps up in many major cities -- Paris included. Traffic did increase by 73 per cent along the upper quayside when compared with the same time in 2015; however, commute times only saw a one-minute increase along the soon-to-be pedestrianized stretch of road, increasing from 14 to 15 minutes, CityLab notes.


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The Conseil de Paris still voted the plan through, adding to the handful of newly implemented green initiatives the city has taken up in the battle against pollution.

With new electric buses, reduced public transit fares, and bicycle highways, it's looking like the temporary increase in commute times will soon be a thing of the past, CityLab notes -- which is likely the reason the ban was approved altogether.

The permanent closure applies to the area between the tunnel at the Jardin des Tuileries to Henri IV tunnel, near the Bastille.

SOURCE: CityLab | Luxigon

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