Photo credit: Javier Gonzalez
by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies
Taking a stroll through the city center of Leipzig, David Zipper tells us in this Bloomberg article how delighted he was to enjoy the surrounding sites while experiencing little car traffic and no car noise. He did, however, hear some sounds – clock towers chiming and chatter from cafes. He sought an explanation for his wonderful experience and learned that in the 90s, Leipzig’s leaders decided to divert traffic from this area and open up more street space for walking and biking. Zipper writes that because the experience was so pleasant, he walked around for a longer time and spent more money.
Zipper reported that several cities in Europe have also created areas with less car traffic, and more sidewalks and bike lanes. Not surprisingly, this has resulted in less air pollution and improved auto safety. Wouldn’t Americans like to see car-free areas in our urban centers? To illustrate that it can happen in the United States, Zipper describes changes made to 14th Street in Manhattan in 2019. Despite some opposition, changes were made so that car traffic was limited between Third Avenue and Ninth Avenue during most of the day. Local officials have promised similar changes on other city streets.
Zipper goes on to say that noise cameras are now being used to catch loud vehicles in London and Paris. Several cities in the U.S. are pilot testing these cameras. The hope is that they will stop drivers from exceeding the sound decibel levels set in by-laws. Yet, these cameras alone cannot quiet the “din of city streets.” There are still other loud sounds, like construction noises and loud ambulance sirens.
A United Nations report found that that loud traffic noise adversely affects our mental and physical health and individuals living in low-income areas are more likely to be impacted by environmental noise. Our readers have seen this information stated often.
Looking to the future with the possibility of electric vehicles, Zipper reminds us that the noise between the car and the pavement will still be there. He also stresses the need for laws to lessen unnecessary honking and ban car alarms. Yet, Zipper ends by saying that many American neighborhoods will still be subjected to car noise as many will not ban cars, especially with pressure from small business owners. Though, Zipper adds that the cafes he saw in Leipzig were crowded. A study found that low-volume traffic diminished the pleasure of eating, so car-free streets may also make city living “more appetizing.”
