Going Green: German City Announces Bold 20-Year Plan to Go Car-Free

Could you imagine living in a city with no cars? That is exactly what Hamburg, the second-largest city in Germany, has envisioned will take place in 20 years! The Hamburg Green Network plan is to connect the entire city and suburbs through green pedestrian and bicycle routes to eliminate the need for polluting automobiles. This bold plan will of course greatly reduce accidents on the road, too, and goes well beyond what any other metropolis has ever dared. The project would look to extend the natural parks, playgrounds and other greenery that already make up 40% of the city.

Hamburg is looking to address the potential dangers of climate change after observing a 10-degree Celsius rise in temperature over the last 50 years. What’s worse, at this pace temperatures are expected to jump another dramatic 30 degrees by 2100. At the same time, the city planners noted that this plan goes beyond environmental concerns and is really a vision for how to live in harmony with our planet. They said:

It will offer people opportunities to hike, swim, do water sports, enjoy picnics and restaurants, experience calm and watch nature and wildlife right in the city, [reducing] the need to take the car for weekend outings outside the city.

Do you wish your city would get rid of cars too?

via Web Urbanist