Should We Bring Car-Free zones to DC?

Let's reduce the car traffic in the DC and encourage people to use transit more often

February 13, 2023

I say YES! We should!

The car-free zones in Washington, DC, are not foreign.

Washington, DC, used to have a car-free zone on G and F streets downtown in the 1970s. But they had to re-introduced car traffic to both streets in the late 1990s because of poor design, zoning restrictions, and the larger trend of 20th Century urban decay.

However, other areas in DC are still partially car-free zones, usually on weekends, such as 7th Street SW near Eastern Market, 18th St NW in Adam Morgan, and the Wharf in SW DC.

Let's bring more car-free zones to some of DC's busiest neighborhoods, especially the G and F streets Downtown for the weekends.

But, to do that, they will need to re-design the area and fix the zoning restrictions first.

Let's learn the lessons from New York City and how they do it to make a car-free zone a booming pedestrian mall in Times Square. They made it a permanent pedestrian zone in 2014!

What are the benefits of having car-free zones in the city?

Creating car-free zones in cities can bring several benefits, including:

  • Reduced traffic congestion and air pollution, leading to a healthier and more pleasant urban environment.

  • Improved safety for pedestrians and cyclists, as they no longer have to contend with cars and other motorized vehicles.

  • Increased opportunities for social interaction and community building, as people can more easily gather and engage with each other in car-free spaces.

  • Encouragement of active transportation, such as walking and cycling, which promotes physical activity and reduces reliance on fossil fuels.

  • Support for local businesses, as car-free zones, can attract more foot traffic and create a more vibrant and dynamic commercial environment.

Let's reduce the car traffic in the DC and encourage people to use transit more often; that way, they can use more funds to improve the transit system.

Lastly, DC will start making free rides on all Metro buses this summer, which is excellent news! And I believe that it will be permanent!

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