How Barcelona is Reducing Traffic Jams
Barcelona is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. And unlike Donald Trump (who even has problems with electric motor cars), this city uses an innovative SuperBlock model to gradually turn the streets car-free.
Plagued with over-tourism, this city (which also features a beautiful beach alongside the stunning main shopping street and Gothic cathedral) is using ideas that are inspiring other traffic-logged cities like Los Angeles.
The ‘Park Block’ program in Barcelona creates groups of nine blocks, then cars can only use the outside streets, so the main inner streets are used for walkers and transit (like buses and trams).
Since 2016, this program has reduced traffic accidents, noise pollution and made the air cleaner (and helped to reduce heat island effect, especially important for warmer cities).
As a result, new community spaces have thrived like public parks for people to sit and chat, while relaxing in daily life, instead of spending their lives stuck in traffic jams (or trying to cross the road amid huge traffic, as happens in other European cities like Naples).
