This 28-acre project is the result of years of multi-stage collaboration between the San Francisco Giants baseball club, the Port of San Francisco, the Tishman Speyer development company, and CMG Landscape Architecture studio. The goal? To rethink what a 21st-century urban district could look like \u2014 and how it could function.<\/p>\n
Winding around the new China Basin Park runs the Bay Trail, while car-free streets throughout the neighborhood are dotted with so-called \u201cstreet rooms\u201d \u2014 artistic urban features designed for sitting, climbing, or relaxing. The area also hosts branches of some of San Francisco\u2019s most sought-after businesses. About 500 new apartments in two architecturally striking buildings were leased quickly \u2014 residents are drawn not only by access to shared workspaces but also by the easy connections via bus, train, tram, or ferry<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/auto-mat.cz\/app\/uploads\/mission-rock.jpg\")
San Francisco\u2019s New Pedestrian District<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cCovid reminded us what public space means to us and what city life can look like,\u201d Corbett Belcher from CMG told National Geographic. \u201cWe laid the foundation for a vibrant district focused on social and ecological well-being\u2014a place governed not by cars, but by people.\u201d<\/p>\n
The push to reduce emissions and improve urban quality of life is not unique to this West Coast U.S. city. The car-free city trend is currently resonating across the United States and around the world.<\/p>\n
Vilnius, Lithuania<\/p>\n
Vilnius was named the European Green Capital of 2025, in part due to significant investments in eco-friendly public transport, including electric buses and trolleybuses. By 2028, several new lines will expand access to the city center without the need for a car, and since 2016, the city has built roughly 100 kilometers of new cycling paths.<\/p>\n
This sustainability-focused city allows visitors to easily explore kilometers of pedestrian routes<\/a> and dedicated paths leading to parks, monuments, and museums. Vilnius has also shortened pedestrian traffic light waiting times to make moving around the city more convenient and efficient for both residents and visitors.<\/p>\n Vilnius City Center<\/p><\/div>\n Philadelphia is perhaps the most walkable city in the U.S., while also offering one of the country\u2019s most extensive trail networks\u2014over 640 kilometers of paths (and growing) connecting parks, business districts, suburbs, and rural areas. Visitors can stroll or cycle along the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT) and reach popular destinations such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art or the Valley Forge National Historical Park.<\/p>\n The most pedestrian-friendly city in the U.S.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n Shared Indego Bikes in Philadelphia now include 250 stations and over 2,000 bikes, with an additional 40 stations planned for 2025. Earlier this year, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker introduced new rules banning stopping or parking in more than 56 kilometers of dedicated lanes, including all bike lanes.<\/p>\n In March, Parisians voted for the \u201cgarden streets\u201d project, which will transform 500 streets into pedestrian zones<\/a> over the coming years. This ambitious step follows earlier initiatives by Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who had already redirected main traffic flows onto major roads while freeing smaller streets for pedestrians and caf\u00e9s, furthering the city\u2019s goal of being more people-friendly than car-friendly.<\/p>\n Visitors will also notice the calm Seine riverbanks, formerly crowded with cars, now used for walking, running, picnics, or enjoying an aperitif at sunset. Bike paths are ubiquitous, well-marked, and heavily used, and with 1,480 V\u00e9lib\u2019 bike-sharing stations (with more planned), cycling around the City of Light is safe, affordable, and enjoyable.<\/p>\n Paris has undergone a radical transformation in recent years<\/p><\/div>\n In 2024, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum approved the ambitious Dubai Walk plan, aiming to transform the city of four million residents into a pedestrian-friendly metropolis. The plan includes an integrated network of over 6,400 kilometers of walkways equipped with air conditioning, shaded passages, and interactive digital screens, making them usable year-round even in extreme temperatures.<\/p>\n Among the first completed projects are the 15 km historic routes Al Ras in Ras Al Khaimah and Al Souk Al Kabeer. In Dubai itself, the Future Loop is being developed \u2013 an elevated, air-conditioned pedestrian path connecting 10 key locations, including the Dubai World Trade Centre, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, the Museum of the Future, and nearby metro stations.<\/p>\n DubaiTampa, Florida<\/p>\n \u201cOur goal was to bring people closer to what really matters: their homes, workplaces, parks, restaurants, and entertainment,\u201d says Josh Taube, CEO of Strategic Property Partners, the developer behind Water Street Tampa, whose master urban plan was created by Elkus Manfredi Architects.<\/p>\n Residents and visitors enjoy outdoor dining, concerts, farmers\u2019 markets in shaded parks, yoga, fitness centers, and stylish hotels such as the Tampa EDITION, home to one of the city\u2019s first Michelin-starred restaurants. Life at Water Street is also made easier by the free TECO Streetcar, which stops at Amalie Arena, Ybor City, the cruise port, and other popular downtown locations.<\/p>\n Bogot\u00e1 is home to perhaps the world\u2019s oldest \u201cpedestrian\u201d city project\u2014the legendary Ciclov\u00eda, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in December. What began as a civic protest against the dominance of cars in the city has evolved into a weekly tradition: approximately 120 kilometers of streets are closed to motor vehicles, opening up space for around 1.7 million people to walk, cycle, rollerblade, or run throughout the city.<\/p>\n Ciclov\u00eda is now more popular than ever and has inspired similar initiatives worldwide, such as CicLAvia in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n Ciclov\u00eda. Photo: Wikipedia<\/p><\/div>\n Bryant Park is often cited as a key driver of New York\u2019s pedestrian renaissance. In the 1980s, it was revitalized into an acclaimed public space thanks to the Bryant Park Corporation and its director, Dan Biederman. He is now also involved in the Future of Fifth project, set to begin in 2028, which aims to transform part of Fifth Avenue. The plan includes removing two traffic lanes and widening sidewalks between Bryant Park and Central Park, opening up one of the world\u2019s most famous streets to pedestrians.<\/p>\n Here everything started<\/p><\/div>\n No one transforms urban space quite like New Yorkers. A prime example is The High Line \u2013 a former elevated railway turned into a 2.3 km-long green corridor on Manhattan\u2019s west side, attracting an estimated eight million visitors annually. Another unique site is Little Island \u2013 a 2.4-acre park built on pilings over the Hudson River, opened in 2021. With its green pathways and rich summer programming, it draws over a million visitors each year, 70% of whom come from outside the city. \u201cPeople leave with a more favorable impression of a place if they experience it as pedestrians,\u201d says Dan Biederman.<\/p>\n If you want to experience what it\u2019s like when streets belong to people, not cars, come to this year\u2019s 20th Neighborhood Festival Za\u017e\u00edt m\u011bsto jinak<\/a><\/strong>. On Saturday, September 20th, over 150 locations across the Czech Republic will be transformed for one day. Don\u2019t miss it!![\"\"](\"https:\/\/auto-mat.cz\/app\/uploads\/vilnius-4229320-1280-870x1160.jpg\")
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania<\/h4>\n
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Paris, France<\/h4>\n
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Dubai, United Arab Emirates<\/h4>\n
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Tampa Bay<\/span><\/p>\nBogot\u00e1, Colombia<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/auto-mat.cz\/app\/uploads\/ciclovia-bogotana-en-avenida-chile-1160x773.jpg\")
New York City, New York<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/auto-mat.cz\/app\/uploads\/new-york-bryant-park-1160x921.jpg\")
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