Paris To Lower Speed Limit To 19 MPH On City Streets

Paris, France is undoubtedly one of the most scenic destinations in the world. With iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc Du Triomphe attracting millions of tourists annually, the city government is taking steps in preserving the peace and order, as well as the safety of the greater majority of the city’s residents. This starts with lowering the speed limit within city streets, with the penultimate goal of transforming Paris into a pedestrian-centric city.

Having said that, Paris will be imposing a 30 kph (19 mph) speed limit on all its internal city streets in August of this year. The city government states that this is being done in a bid to reduce accidents, noise pollution, as well as transform Paris into a more environmentally-friendly city. It would appear that the penultimate goal is to eradicate the use of automobiles and motorized vehicles in Paris, as city mayor Anne Hidalgo has committed to reducing parking spaces for cars in Paris by nearly fifty percent. At present, there are a total of 140,000 street-level parking spaces in Paris. By the time Hidalgo’s mandate will be implemented, around 60,000 spaces will be converted to pedestrian walkways.

Motorcyclists aren’t spared from Paris’ restructuring, either. By 2022, motorcycles and scooters will no longer be allowed to park for free on city streets, and will now have pay an hourly parking fee. The hourly fees for car parking spaces are also expected to see a substantial increase come 2022.  Additionally, nearly all motorized vehicles will face an outright ban from the Paris Centre district which consist of the first four boroughs of the city including the islands on the Seine River, as well as the densely populated streets of the Marais. All of these moves are being done in an effort to make the city safer for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Unsurprisingly, Hidalgo has faced a lot of criticism for her policies which have resulted in massive gridlocks within the borders of the city, particularly for those living in the suburbs who rely on cars to transport themselves to work in the city center. Unfazed by the criticism, the socialist mayor continues to roll out plans geared towards the transformation of Paris, and has promised to double the annual spending on cleaning, maintenance, and improvement of Paris to a whopping one billion Euros, or the equivalent of $1.2 billion USD.