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πππππ πΆππππππ πOC Transpo, the transit agency of #Ottawa, has really been knocking it out of the park lately. (Out of the park, and into the sewer grate.)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/out-of-service-oc-transpo-bus-gets-stuck-under-shopping-mall-sign-1.7608325
πππππ πΆππππππ πNEW RESEARCH: Parked cars can account for 10 percent of the surface areas of some cities. It turns out that their albedo (reflectivity) can significantly contribute to the urban heat island effect.
Dark-coloured cars are the worst, making the air around them 3.8Β°C hotter vs nearby asphalt road.
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πππππ πΆππππππ πNote to Doug Ford, premier of #Ontario: we had this figured out 60 years ago. Yet somehow you still don't get it.
A vintage reminder, courtesy of #Toronto subway, of how much pain (and congestion, and pollution...) public transit spares our cities.
πππππ πΆππππππ πThe beautiful city of #Bordeaux already has the largest downtown pedestrian zone in #France: all told, 46 kilometers of streets are car-free.
As of Jan. 1 2026, all cars and motorcycles will be excluded from the centre.
https://www.bordeaux.fr/le-secteur-pieton-de-bordeaux-en-5-points
πππππ πΆππππππ πMayor of #London writes: Dear Britain, itβs now clear. 20 mph zones save lives. Implement them.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/12/britain-20mph-zones-save-lives-traffic-safe-streets
πππππ πΆππππππ πWord to the wise: police in #Montreal are handing out $140 tickets to people caught using blue Bixis without a helmet. These are the e-bikes: they can go up to 32 km/h (20 mph). I like what cops have done in NYC and other citiesβthey give out helmets when they stop people.
πππππ πΆππππππ πCities arenβt inherently loudβbut automobile traffic raises noise pollution to 60 decibels+.
In #France, the city of #Lyon has set aside four βzones calmes,β where decibel levels regularly go as low as 28.
Theyβve strung up hammocks to welcome people...
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https://www.leprogres.fr/economie/2025/08/08/on-se-sent-comme-dans-une-bulle-au-domaine-de-lacroix-laval-des-zones-calmes-pour-fuir-le-tumulte-urbain
πππππ πΆππππππ πTo make things even more peaceful...
Last month, it became illegal to drive across the centre of #Lyon (entry limited to authorized vehicles). The ZTL, or zone Γ trafic limitΓ©e, is enforced with retractable bollards.
The police were on hand the first few days to explain the system.
πππππ πΆππππππ πCities arenβt inherently loudβbut automobile traffic raises noise pollution to 60 decibels+.
In #France, the city of #Lyon has set aside four βzones calmes,β where decibel levels regularly go as low as 28.
Theyβve strung up hammocks to welcome people...
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https://www.leprogres.fr/economie/2025/08/08/on-se-sent-comme-dans-une-bulle-au-domaine-de-lacroix-laval-des-zones-calmes-pour-fuir-le-tumulte-urbain
πππππ πΆππππππ πLove this!
Cities arenβt inherently loudβbut automobile traffic raises noise pollution to 60 decibels+.
In #France, the city of #Lyon has set aside four βzones calmes,β where decibel levels regularly go as low as 28.
Theyβve strung up hammocks to welcome peopleβ¦
https://www.leprogres.fr/economie/2025/08/08/on-se-sent-comme-dans-une-bulle-au-domaine-de-lacroix-laval-des-zones-calmes-pour-fuir-le-tumulte-urbain
πππππ πΆππππππ π"In a quality city, a person should be able to live their entire life without a car, and not feel deprived."
βPaul Bedford.