These Big Cities Cut Back Cars. This Is What Happened Next
Traffic restrictions are controversial. Here is how they are playing out in three global cities.
In Paris, the local government has reserved one lane on the main highway encircling the city for public transport and carpooling.
Photographer: Cyril Marcilhacy/BloombergCities around the world trying to limit driving have faced objections — namely that the measures would limit personal freedom, cost too much, destroy commerce or have negligible effects on air quality.
Now the first data from these experiments in New York, London and Paris is trickling in. They offer some clues about whether cutting speed limits, charging traffic for entering a city center and penalizing drivers of the most polluting cars can reduce congestion and improve air quality, without causing too much disruption.