Transit
Paris votes to make 500 more streets car free
There’s a showdown unfolding in Paris over who owns the streets. Residents recently voted in favor of banning cars from 500 roadways. The plan is to open them up to pedestrians, cyclists and new green spaces. The city’s mayor wants to transform Paris into the world’s first car-free megacity. But not every Parisian thinks that’s a good idea.
How Tokyo developed a culture of transit in a world of cars
Despite a population of 37 million, there’s relatively little congestion and pollution here since the majority of its residents rely on public transit rather than cars. But while Tokyo’s mass transportation system may serve as a global success story, it may not be replicable, because its organic growth over the decades has fostered a unique culture of transit.
How Japan keeps its trains safe from earthquakes
Japan experiences more earthquakes than any country. But its transit system remains remarkably safe. The bullet train, for example, has never seen a death or serious injury due to an earthquake or tsunami. Japan may offer lessons to other countries as climate change causes more natural disasters globally.
Japan’s transit system is private. Should other countries consider the same?
Transit in most global cities is government-run. But in Japan, that’s not the case. There, private companies run a sprawling network of trains, subways and buses, often considered the best in the world. What can other countries learn from Japan’s unique system?
How an Australian expat became the voice of Japan’s most-famous train
Donna Burke has the most famous voice you’ve never heard of. The Australian expat first moved to Japan in the 1990s, hoping to make it as a singer. Now, she’s the voice of the Tokaido Shinkansen, commonly known as the bullet train, and her announcements are heard by more than 400,000 people in Japan every day.