16 before and after images where cars were removed -- IrishCycle.com

— “There’s no space for cycle paths in our town or city!”

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It’s not just about cycle paths, but these examples show how space for cars can be transformed into space for unsuitable transport and livability.

Before and after: Painted cycle lanes vs intern light segregation on Tavistock Place in central London — the street was made one-way for cars to made segregated space for cycling (photos thanks to Paul Gannon):

Dublin along the Grand Canal:

Before and after: Herbert Place, Dublin — car parking removed for cycle path added one side, and a smaller amount removed for a bike hire station on the other side: pic.twitter.com/uFfANNfHxB

— IrishCycle.com (@IrishCycle) April 2, 2020

Waltham Forest in more car-dominated outer London:

One example that change is possible is Waltham Forest, London where political will & spending has brought about a liveable neighbourhood, with benefits you mention of less noise, visual & air pollution. See before & after photos of the same street. pic.twitter.com/bHbAxe18Lm

— Kყ-Cყƈʅҽ-ʅιҽ (@netwench) March 1, 2020

Paris:

[Avant/Après] Rendez-vous à la croisée des REVe ! Ça y est, les Réseaux Express Vélo (REVe) nord-sud et est-ouest se rejoignent rue de Rivoli et boulevard de Sébastopol. 😍🥳#ParisSeTransforme #LeRéseauPrendForme pic.twitter.com/E7VjI0cBfa

— Christophe Najdovski (@C_Najdovski) May 13, 2019

If you want a smaller city, here’s Utrecht:

Utrecht before/after pic.twitter.com/DzM5Nr6i1P

— Bert Temme (@berttemme) January 6, 2020

Amsterdam (although the first photo is later than the 1970s):

Amsterdam used 1970s oil crisis as catalyst for change. It took 40 years of consistent planning since then to become the cycling city we know today.

Will your city embrace todays crisis as seed for positive change?

~Damrak, 1970s-2010s pic.twitter.com/iJq0BYz7PF

— Cycling Professor (@fietsprofessor) April 1, 2020

Time Square, New York:

From @urb_i_: great before & after pics of #NewYork's #TimesSquare: @MTA @NYC_DOT @JSadikKhan @transalt #placemaking pic.twitter.com/6NZwCbm7mH

— Tim Davis (@kettlemoraine) May 3, 2016

Dublin again:

Before and after: Bachelors Walk, on Dublin's quays — from single bus and two lanes for motorists to just a single lane for cars and a double bus lane, with a 'bus gate' which gives traffic light priority for buses going into the right-hand lane: pic.twitter.com/RdXrfDPAKk

— IrishCycle.com (@IrishCycle) April 2, 2020

New York is a good example of quick changes and done cheaply at first:

Transforming #NewYork with reprioritized space: Washington St. Plaza, #Manhattan before & after. pic.twitter.com/fv3rV1wcpU via @JSadikKhan

— TODERIAN UrbanWORKS (TUW) (@TODUrbanWORKS) April 27, 2015

Amsterdam again:

They say “We can’t do that. We’re not Amsterdam.” You respond “Amsterdam wasn’t always like that either,” showing before & after transformations illustrating that cities we admire made CHOICES. They make more tired excuses. (1e van der Helststraat, 1978 & 2005 HT @fietsprofessor) pic.twitter.com/RsS7NH17k0

— Brent Toderian (@BrentToderian) January 25, 2020

Utrecht again and this time showing it’s not always directly space from cars — this is made possable via a wider project which includes closing another road through motor traffic and giving buses a more direct route:

Here’s the city of Utrecht’s thinking of how you reuse bus lane space no longer needed — two sets of before and after images: pic.twitter.com/N2ppUyBetE

— IrishCycle.com (@IrishCycle) March 15, 2020

New York:

Check out the fantastic before/afters of the Sunnyside #bikenyc lanes! You'll read the story of how the lanes came to be and see footage of them in heavy use. Great comparisons for any community! Thank you @NYCMayor @NYC_DOT @TransAlt Full @Streetfilms: https://t.co/gqwWWIQle7 pic.twitter.com/HRRwM76zDK

— Streetfilms (1,OOO videos & beyond!) (@Streetfilms) November 19, 2018

Another from NYC:

The importance of good design: same number of lanes before & after, but a safer street. 8th Ave NYC pic.twitter.com/sM6LxlfZLY via @JSadikKhan

— Jennifer Keesmaat (@jen_keesmaat) July 21, 2015

Pontevedra, Spain:

Motor vehicle access is still possible even to the tiniest street, but only if you need… access. I think what best shows the qualities of the changes are before & after pictures; so I’ll now post a few pairs. (I nicked the ‘befores’ from the document I linked to.) pic.twitter.com/O3MM49pRPi

— John Dales 🌍 (@johnstreetdales) July 8, 2019

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