"Coronavirus Has Sparked Interest In Car-Free Streets. Will It Last?"

"U.S. cities are closing down streets to car traffic and opening them up to people. But which neighborhoods get them and whether they’ll stay remains to be seen."

"SEATTLE ― Gordon Padelford, the founder and director of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, can barely finish a thought without pointing out a toddler on a balance bike or a couple walking their dog in the middle of the road.

“I’ve never seen that before!” he exclaims as we take a walking tour of one of Seattle’s new “Stay Healthy Streets,” which the city has closed to most vehicle traffic so people can be outside while maintaining a safe social distance. One of the streets just happens to run right by his house.

“Three hours after it went in,” Padelford said, “two kids and a dad biked by, and I had never seen kids that young biking in the street. As soon as people were invited to use the street, they did.”"

Erica C. Barnett reports for HuffPost May 27, 2020.

Source: HuffPost, 05/28/2020