Car-free movement
It is a broad, informal, emergent network of individuals and organizations, including social activists, urban planners, transportation engineers, environmentalists and others.
The goal of the movement is to establish places where motorized vehicle use is greatly reduced or eliminated, by converting road and parking space to other public uses and rebuilding compact urban environments where most destinations are within easy reach by other means, including walking, cycling, public transport, personal transporters, and mobility as a service.
[4] Some governments have responded with policies and regulations aimed at reversing auto dependency by increasing urban densities, encouraging mixed use development and infill, reducing space allocated to private cars, increasing walkability, supporting cycling and other alternative vehicles similar in size and speed, and public transport.
The products are then placed in a small truck (sometimes electrically powered[12]), cargo bike, or other vehicle to bridge the last mile to the destination in the city center.
[20] Reclaim the Streets, a movement formed in 1991 in London, "invaded" major roads, highway or freeway to stage parties.
The World Naked Bike Ride was born in 2001 in Spain with the first naked bike rides, which then emerged as the WNBR in 2004 a concept which rapidly spread through collaborations with many different activist groups and individuals around the world to promote bicycle transportation, renewable energy, recreation, walkable communities, and environmentally responsible, sustainable living.
[30] Ciclovía is a similar event in many cities that places a large emphasis on cycling as an alternative to auto travel.
Now, Bogotá holds weekly ciclovías that turn the streets into giant car-free celebrations complete with stages set up in city parks with aerobics instructors, yoga teachers, and musicians leading people through various performances.
The conference has been held in major cities around the world, including Portland, Oregon, United States in 2008 (its first time in North America), and has also been in Istanbul, Turkey; Bogota, Colombia; Budapest, Hungary; Berlin, Germany; Prague, Czech Republic; Timișoara, Romania; and Lyon, France.
The conference series attempts to bridge the gap between many of the diverse people and organizations interested in reducing urban dependence on the automobile.
The Fifth Annual Commuter race took place in May 2009, where bicyclist Rachel Myers beat straphanger Dan Hendrick and cab rider Willie Thompson to make it the fifth year the contestant on the bicycle won.
Myers took the 2009 title with a time of 20 minutes and 15 seconds to make the 4.2 mile trek from Sunnyside, Queens to Columbus Circle in Manhattan.
works in five areas: Bicycling, Walking and Traffic Calming, Car-Free Parks, Safe Streets and Sensible Transportation."
The 2009 Commuter Race came on the heels of a Times Square traffic ban in NYC that drew national media attention.
In developed countries these include islands and some historic neighborhoods or settlements, the largest example being the canal city of Venice.
Whether it can be considered car-free is open to debate: many local people prefer the term "stellplatzfrei" – literally "free from parking spaces" to describe the traffic management system there.
Vehicles are allowed down the residential streets at walking pace to pick up and deliver but not to park, although there are frequent infractions.
[35] The more common form of car free development involves some sort of physical barrier, which prevents motor vehicles from penetrating into a car-free center.
Pedestrian zones may be considered car-free developments where they include a significant population and a low rate of vehicle ownership per household.
