What would a anti-car dependency city look like/Before and after photos?

What does it mean building cities for people, not cars? If you like a video format, check this video out Utrecht: Planning for People & Bikes, Not for Cars - YouTube.

Resources

I just love it. : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rakhbh/i_just_love_it/

This is the picture of a highway in Dusseldorf, Germany being turned into a walkable street.

Amsterdam 1978 vs 2005 (@BrentToderian) : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rbs8w7/amsterdam_1978_vs_2005_brenttoderian/

A before and after picture of Amsterdam.

How Our Streets Got Stolen From Us - YouTube - Adam Something

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrfsTNNCbP0

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rmyqn6/just_use_the_tram_from_the_start/hpqj6mh/

At 8:31, Barcelona implemented superblocks in 2006 and it has seen tremendous success.

Study: Most Car Owners Wish They Didn’t Have to Drive – Streetsblog USA

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/03/19/study-most-car-owners-wish-they-didnt-have-to-drive/

A diverse group of people say that they do not want to drive. They also wish that there are more options when it comes to transportation.

Positivity week. Times Square’s transformation. : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rpp6kn/positivity_week_times_squares_transformation/

Some pictures of making Times Square more walkable.

Positivity week. Jaffa Road Jerusalem : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rr56sl/positivity_week_jaffa_road_jerusalem/

Vienna Pedestrian Street now vs in the 80s : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rradis/vienna_pedestrian_street_now_vs_in_the_80s/

An after and before photo in Vienna.

Positivity Week: London, Jubilee Gardens : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rrcrhg/positivity_week_london_jubilee_gardens/

1970 and now : london

https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/rynu57/1970_and_now/

Positivity week. Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, OR : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rqi8ts/positivity_week_pioneer_courthouse_square_in/

It’s not too late to fix our car centric mistakes. (a street in Milan Italy 1950s vs 2021). : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rq2o05/its_not_too_late_to_fix_our_car_centric_mistakes/

Positivity: the evolution of Dutch streets/cities over the years : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rrzr7k/positivity_the_evolution_of_dutch_streetscities/

9 images of before and after in Dutch cities.

Neubaugasse, Vienna 2020 vs. 2021 : europe

https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/rubplh/neubaugasse_vienna_2020_vs_2021/

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/ruf02r/neubaugasse_vienna_2020_vs_2021/

Plenty of pictures in this post.

Nagykanizsa autóforgalom-leépítő átalakítások : hungary

https://www.reddit.com/r/hungary/comments/ruz3nn/nagykanizsa_aut%C3%B3forgalomle%C3%A9p%C3%ADt%C5%91_%C3%A1talak%C3%ADt%C3%A1sok/

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/ruzfw7/nagykanizsa_hungary/

Dresden post-communism transformation. : europe

https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/ruh0k4/dresden_postcommunism_transformation/

Nice transformation in Budapest : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rvdj5r/nice_transformation_in_budapest/

fuck slip lanes (montreal 2015 -> 2020) : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rvnivz/fuck_slip_lanes_montreal_2015_2020/

Regular street in Katowice, Poland turned into a promenade with bars and cafes (ul. Mariacka) : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rwkm0m/regular_street_in_katowice_poland_turned_into_a/

It is possible - Zurich Switzerland : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rwp2lr/it_is_possible_zurich_switzerland/

A riverside parking lot turned into a riverside promenade for pedestrians and cyclists in Frankfurt, Germany : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rw14di/a_riverside_parking_lot_turned_into_a_riverside/

Success story: Bordeaux city center : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rxi08t/success_story_bordeaux_city_center/

Fuck using our streets for vehicular throughput : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rwv0f3/fuck_using_our_streets_for_vehicular_throughput/

This is the tweet in Barcelona where it showed the before and after where the after is a picture of flowers.

Torggata, Oslo. Before and now. Fuck cars. : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/ryvc0n/torggata_oslo_before_and_now_fuck_cars/

Oradea, Romania. Before and After : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/rykncc/oradea_romania_before_and_after/

Getting rid of cars and improving livability in Oradea, Romania : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/syn0xc/getting_rid_of_cars_and_improving_livability_in/

Before and after pictures in Oradea, Romania.

City centre of Lisbon: how to convert a car-centric street into a walkable space : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/s0gjif/city_centre_of_lisbon_how_to_convert_a_carcentric/

Before and after Avenue de la Liberté in luxembourg city : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/s0qwdw/before_and_after_avenue_de_la_libert%C3%A9_in/

The Big Dig before and after : urbanplanning

https://www.reddit.com/r/urbanplanning/comments/czp2iy/the_big_dig_before_and_after/

Why Tokyo Is Insanely Well Designed - YouTube - OBF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zysL_lkdtys

Tokyo made cars unattractive as possible by making them pay expensive tolls. You can see it at 4:56.

They also do regular maintenance on their trains and tracks to make sure that they’re safe.

Mackinac Island in the US State of Michigan does not allow automobiles on the roads (except for emergency services) : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/s2a13u/mackinac_island_in_the_us_state_of_michigan_does/

Even Moscow is getting better : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/s5ell8/even_moscow_is_getting_better/

Before car - during car - after car. Nikolskaya Street Moscow : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/s4qkhq/before_car_during_car_after_car_nikolskaya_street/

A three-series picture where it showed before cars, during cars and after cars.

Millennium Park Chicago, before and after parking was moved underground : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/s7ovgu/millennium_park_chicago_before_and_after_parking/

Guadalajara over the years. Pre-car. Car. Post-car : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/s780zi/guadalajara_over_the_years_precar_car_postcar/

A three-series picture where it showed before cars, during cars and after cars.

Change is possible! Some Before and After photos of the I-195 removal through downtown Providence, RI, and the new pedestrian bridge! : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/s7x8l7/change_is_possible_some_before_and_after_photos/

Check out the 4th picture where it showed a pedestrian bridge over the water.

Taking back space from cars is possible. 1960s Germany compared to now : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/sbmxje/taking_back_space_from_cars_is_possible_1960s/

What a difference a year [and a green major] makes. : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/sbhnrn/what_a_difference_a_year_and_a_green_major_makes/

Budapest, Hungary.

Burgos, Spain - 25 years of pedestrianization : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/sq2oi8/burgos_spain_25_years_of_pedestrianization/hwio90q/

Burgos is a small city situated in Northern Spain. Like most of the western world, Spain saw unprecedented economic growth during the second half of the twentieth century, which among other things made cars affordable for the masses. This resulted in what you can see in the “old” pictures below – a car-infested city throughout the late 60s, the 70s and 80s.

Initiatives were started in the mid-to-late-90s to pedestrianize some streets around the historical center, which eventually grew to encompass the whole city core. These continued efforts won Burgos the CiViTAs City of the Year in 2007, and the Energy Globe Award in 2008. Urban renewal initiatives continue, and the city has now announced further plans for a 2-sq km Low Emission Zone with further restrictions for motor vehicles.

Cambridge, UK is really doing the work : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/sqixsg/cambridge_uk_is_really_doing_the_work/

This is an image gallery of good bike infrastructure, pedestrian walkpaths and public transport.

Königstraße, Stuttgart, Germany in the 1970s and now : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/st4hkt/k%C3%B6nigstra%C3%9Fe_stuttgart_germany_in_the_1970s_and_now/

Amazing initiative reduces traffic in my neighborhood by 70+%. So much more quality of living and number of bikes increased a lot. Much more details in comment. (Pics taken from newspapers. The before/after pic is not taken in the same spot. But I can assure, that’s pretty much the reality. : fuckcars

https://reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/suwe9o/amazing_initiative_reduces_traffic_in_my/hxce1vj/

A success story from the a subdistrict in Berlin. There is a short summary from one of the residents. People were really happy about it.

Germany’s City of the Future Built to be Green - YouTube - ABC News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XeMHuO_6-0

The citizens say that it is very quiet. They’re able to walk everywhere

Ljubljana Is A Car-Free Haven With 300,000 Residents - Is Malta Up Next?

https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/environment/ljubljana-is-a-car-free-haven-with-300000-residents-is-malta-up-next/

Ljubljana Is a city that has been car free for decades. Since the city banned cars in 2007, it became greener, cleaner, and more sustainable. And with that, Ljubljana’s 300,000 residents became both healthier and happier, as the pedestrianisation process received a 95% approval rating.

DRAFT Vision Zero! Norwegian Capital Completely Quashes Road Deaths – Streetsblog USA

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/01/03/vision-zero-norwegian-capital-completely-quashes-road-deaths/

This does put a smile on my face : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/szb59r/this_does_put_a_smile_on_my_face/

A before and after picture in Fuller St, Miami.

Something fun for once: Serfaus, Austria. 1200 inhabitants, 1 subway line

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/szlsut/something_fun_for_once_serfaus_austria_1200/

Serfaus is a small ski village with about 1200 inhabitants and about 7000 hotel beds. About 50 years ago, they decided their village road can’t take all the ski tourists anymore, banned private cars in the village, and build a parking lot outside to serve it by bus.

You can probably guess what came next: buses hit their capacity limit and in 1984, they started building a subway line instead. It is 1.3 km (0.81 mi) long, serves 4 stations today and can transport up to 3000 people per hour. It has been under renovation from 2017 to 2019. It is driver-less.

Just a street near my house that went full pedestrian (Paris)

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/szlstt/just_a_street_near_my_house_that_went_full/

A before and after image from 2019 and 2022 where car lanes are taken away to make way for people.

Public space is for children, not cars.

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/t0d4ma/public_space_is_for_children_not_cars/

What Happened When They Banned Cars - YouTube - City Beautiful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcgGiHZoWBc

This video analyzed what happened to streets in the United States when they ban cars namely Market Street in San Francisco, 14th Street in New York and State Street in Madison. Business still thriving, public transport gets faster, there’s less congestion.

Debrecen, Hungary before and after 2001

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/t32t3x/debrecen_hungary_before_and_after_2001/

Expansion of pedestrian zones in the last 6 years in Belgrade, Serbia. (old photos are the latest Street View from 2013).

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/t6cm1h/expansion_of_pedestrian_zones_in_the_last_6_years/

There are more pictures in the comments.

Cars-free streets can turn neglected areas into bustling centers for any community : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/tadu69/carsfree_streets_can_turn_neglected_areas_into/

Miami, Florida.

This is what a good town should look like. No cars, just pedestrians : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/tg87ox/this_is_what_a_good_town_should_look_like_no_cars/

Udine, Italy.

The Only* Car-Free Neighbourhood in Canada (and why you can’t live there) - YouTube - Not Just Bikes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWDFgzAjr1k

This video has an example of a car free town in Canada. Further in the video, he explored the concept of Autoluw, which means less cars.

Liverpool bold street before and after, you tell me what’s better for the people. : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/tyb7pm/liverpool_bold_street_before_and_after_you_tell/

A picture of a street in Liverpool showing before and after removing cars.

Vredenburg, Utrecht. Busiest cycle path in the Netherlands [545] - YouTube - BicycleDutch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RQrKP9a0XE

See how the busiest cycle path in the Netherlands operates. If everyone here was in a car, you would have traffic jams for miles.

UC Davis Rush Hour Biking Timelapse - YouTube - Wignall Enterprises

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIozaQehIVs

Look what happens when there’s no cars around. People can freely and safely ride bikes.

Amsterdam, Museumplein : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/u24xf4/amsterdam_museumplein/

Went to Freiburg, DE for the first time. No cars allowed in the city center, just the tram and people walking in the streets. Cars aren’t allowed to drive more than 30 km/h. So peaceful, so serene, so much life. Exactly how a a city with 200,000+ ppl should be : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/u28edj/went_to_freiburg_de_for_the_first_time_no_cars/

Transformation of a freeway in Seoul in 2003. Ahead of its time. : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/u5h4hy/transformation_of_a_freeway_in_seoul_in_2003/

Removing a road to make way for a canal. Even after removing those lanes, there is still a lot of people visiting the place.

#fuckcars Washington Square before - Washington Square Park now : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/ucl5lr/fuckcars_washington_square_before_washington

The transformation of a large road in my hometown of Mainz. credits to Merkurist : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/ucxpsd/the_transformation_of_a_large_road_in_my_hometown

C’est tellement mieux ! : EnculerLesVoitures

https://www.reddit.com/r/EnculerLesVoitures/comments/s1sze7/cest_tellement_mieux

I thought this belonged here : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/uiwbxa/i_thought_this_belonged_here

Coconut Grove, Miami.

Yes please! More green spaces : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/uimb81/yes_please_more_green_spaces

Blankenstraat, Amsterdam.

Warms my heart : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/uo4llr/warms_my_heart

Trnava, Slovakia.

Bandera, a street of Santiago, Chile, January 2012 vs March 2018 : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/uoazhu/bandera_a_street_of_santiago_chile_january_2012/

Santiago, Chile.

Vienna in 1966 and 2015 : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/uompvi/vienna_in_1966_and_2015/

Vienna, Austria.

How Frieberg’s Vauban neighborhood created a car-free paradise

https://www.fastcompany.com/90327301/what-can-we-learn-from-this-thriving-car-free-german-neighborhood-get-rid-of-parking-spaces

Vauban, Freiburg.

Nordbahntrasse (Wuppertal, Germany)

https://wuppertalbewegung.de/nordbahntrasse

Wuppertal, Germany. Bike and foot path built on an old railroad track.

Things used to be better, but not in Amsterdam. same exact location in 1970 vs today. : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/uv7e9h/things_used_to_be_better_but_not_in_amsterdam/

Amsterdam, Netherlands.

How Helsinki and Oslo cut pedestrian deaths to zero | World news | The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/16/how-helsinki-and-oslo-cut-pedestrian-deaths-to-zero

When you reduce car infrastructure, you have less pedestrian injuries and deaths. That is what happened in Helsinki, Finland and Oslo, Norway.

‘For me, this is paradise’: life in the Spanish city that banned cars | Cities | The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/sep/18/paradise-life-spanish-city-banned-cars-pontevedra

Pontevedra, Spain.

Lots of benefits when you banned cars. From the article,

The benefits are numerous. On the same streets where 30 people died in traffic accidents from 1996 to 2006, only three died in the subsequent 10 years, and none since 2009. CO2 emissions are down 70%, nearly three-quarters of what were car journeys are now made on foot or by bicycle, and, while other towns in the region are shrinking, central Pontevedra has gained 12,000 new inhabitants. Also, withholding planning permission for big shopping centres has meant that small businesses – which elsewhere have been unable to withstand Spain’s prolonged economic crisis – have managed to stay afloat.

Before and After in Midtown Atlanta (credit to @atlurbanist) : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/v7t8jm/before_and_after_in_midtown_atlanta_credit_to

Atlanta.

Wrocław, Poland. 1960s v. now : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/v9wvmu

Wrocław, Poland.

10 years ago people in Brussels demanded less cars by having a giant picnic on the city’s central highway. This made everybody so poor that today no cars can be seen there anymore. (Boulevard Anspach, Brussels, 2012 vs 2022) : fuckcars

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/vb5x1d/10_years_ago_people_in_brussels_demanded_less

Boulevard Anspach, Brussels.