Carlton Reid
Jun 4, 2020,
To Milan, London, Berlin, and Paris, Lisbon can now be added to the major European cities using the pandemic to reshape streets.
Portugal’s coastal capital city is to remove car parking spaces and replace them with alfresco cafes and restaurants; speed limits will be lowered to 18 miles per hour citywide and the city’s burgeoning bike path network will be expanded, including the provision of 16 miles of pop-up cycleways by July and another 18 miles before September.
In addition to plans for an extra 7,750 secure parking places for bicycles, the city has introduced a €3 million “mobility fund” to subsidize bicycle purchases. Citizens can apply now for €100 vouchers to buy standard bicycles, €350 for e-bikes, and up to €500 to help pay for cargo bikes.
Lisbon currently has a 65-mile cycleway network. This will be bolstered by pop-ups on major commuter routes, many of which will be made permanent next year.
