Paris Shifts Gears: From Automobile Dominance to Bicycle Congestion

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Once a city where automobiles reigned supreme, Paris is now grappling with a new kind of vehicular turmoil: traffic jams in bike lanes.

During rush hour on Boulevard Sébastopol in Paris, congestion isn’t just limited to fuel-consuming, exhaust-emitting vehicles. A quieter but equally vexing bottleneck is forming among cyclists competing for lane space.

Four years ago, this Parisian roadway was almost entirely the domain of motorists. Today, the crowded bike lanes are emblematic of a wider transformation occurring in France’s capital—a nation historically enamored with automobiles and home to automotive giants like Renault, Citroën, and Peugeot.

This transformation has not been entirely smooth. Spearheaded by Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo for nearly a decade, the campaign to morph Paris from a cyclist-hostile environment into one conducive to safe and free cycling has made such an impact that bicycles are increasingly supplanting cars. Moreover, additional bike lanes are under development in anticipation of next year’s Paris Olympics, an initiative aimed at reducing the event’s carbon footprint by half.

On several key boulevards, bicycles have come to outnumber cars during peak traffic hours. The increased number of cyclists, each jingling their bells and sometimes losing patience, has led to its own form of gridlock.

According to Thibault Quéré, a spokesperson for the Federation of Bicycle Users, “The bike traffic jam is akin to car congestion of yesteryears. However, it’s a better problem to have, especially when considering what Paris used to be like.”

Cyclists in Paris now enjoy more than 1,000 kilometers (about 620 miles) of designated bike lanes and paths, a significant increase from just 200 kilometers (about 125 miles) in 2001, according to City Hall. In fact, certain roads, most notably a section along the River Seine, have been closed off to motor vehicles since 2016, creating sanctuaries for cyclists, joggers, families, and couples.

Boulevard Sébastopol’s twin-lane bike path, inaugurated in 2019, is among the busiest in Europe. In early September, it registered a record 124,000 weekly users, surpassing even London’s most frequented cycling routes, as per data from pro-bike group Paris en Selle.

The situation is compounded by irate motorists, scooters navigating through the crowds, pedestrians dodging bikes, and widespread construction as Paris prepares for the Olympics. In this environment, adhering to road rules becomes a complex task, fraught with real-world risks.

An uptick in cycling has also been spurred by Paris’s ban on for-hire electric scooters earlier this year. Michel Gelernt, a retiree and former motor-scooter user who now relies on Paris’ 16-year-old bike-sharing system, Velib’, for 80% of his trips, expressed his exasperation: “Paris has become intolerable; the tension among commuters is palpable.”

Nevertheless, the health and environmental benefits of cycling cannot be denied, especially in light of the persistent air pollution that results in 48,000 premature deaths annually in France.

In June, a Parisian court awarded €5,000 ($5,300) each to two families whose children suffered from health problems linked to air pollution, effectively holding the French state responsible.

Mayor Hidalgo has cited pollution as a principal reason for her efforts to promote cycling and displace polluting vehicles. Her second five-year “Bike Plan” allocates €250 million ($260 million) in additional investment by 2026, primarily for extending cycling infrastructure.

As for the upcoming Paris Olympics, all venues within the city will be accessible via a nearly 60-kilometer (about 40 miles) network of bike lanes, according to City Hall.

Those visiting for the Olympics will thus get to experience what more Parisians are discovering: traveling by bike reveals a city rich in overlooked nuances and sensory delights, which are often missed when enclosed in a car.

Contributed by journalist Alex Turnbull.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Paris Bicycle Revolution

More about Paris Bicycle Revolution

• Anne Hidalgo’s Cycling Initiatives
• Paris 2024 Olympics Sustainability Plan
• Paris en Selle: Bicycle Advocacy in Paris
• Paris Court’s Ruling on Air Pollution
• The History of Paris’ Boulevard Sébastopol
• City of Paris Official Bike Plan
• French Government on Atmospheric Pollution
• Velib’: Paris Bike-Sharing System
• Urban Planning and Road Closures in Paris
• Effects of Cycling on Public Health in France