A pedestrian zone is an area in which vehicles cannot circulate.
Pedestrian is that space that, within the framework of a city , is for exclusive use by pedestrians . In a pedestrian zone, therefore, you can only travel on foot, so access by vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) is prohibited.
The etymological origin of the term that concerns us now is found in French. And the fact is that Castilian adapted the Gallic word pietón which, in turn, comes from the Latin pes, pedis (translatable as "foot" ).
The modern conception of the word we are analyzing began to be used in the mid-16th century. For example: “I feel like going for a walk along the pedestrian street: there are very nice businesses” , “A man was arrested after driving his car along the pedestrian street” , “If you agree, we could meet in an hour at the bar.” of the pedestrian.”
In general, pedestrian streets bring together the main commercial offering of a town. That is why these are walks that are highly visited by tourists and places that are popular with locals who come to work in these shops and offices.
Creation of a pedestrian
There are various reasons that can lead to the creation of a pedestrian street. On the one hand, there are roads that were created when motorized transport did not yet exist, which makes them very narrow and can only be used by pedestrians.
On the other hand, a government can specifically design a pedestrian street to improve the urban environment . Pedestrian paths are ecological (since, as vehicles do not circulate, polluting emissions are reduced), they promote physical exercise and have a very low accident rate.
Pedestrian streets tend to be streets with a wide range of shopping and leisure activities.
The benefits of these streets
Increasingly, large cities are committed to pedestrianizing some of their streets. And, as we already anticipated, there are numerous benefits that this type of roads bring with them:
- The pollution generated by various vehicles is significantly reduced, which will have a positive impact on both the environment and the health of the local inhabitants.
- No less important is that it is possible to reduce the rate of accidents that occur.
- Citizens are made aware to opt for public transportation instead of their own vehicles. In this way, they will be able to save on fuel, they will not pollute and they will stop suffering from stress due to situations such as traffic jams.
- Local commerce is encouraged and promoted. And it is common for countless establishments to appear on pedestrian streets so that pedestrians can purchase all types of products. Thus, they stand up from fashion stores to restaurants, cinemas, perfumeries, decoration stores or cafes.
famous pedestrians
Marqués de Larios Street, in Malaga ( Spain ), is one of the most famous pedestrian streets in the world . It was inaugurated in 1891 and extends about three hundred meters.
Another very popular pedestrian street is Florida Street in Buenos Aires ( Argentina ), whose origins date back to the founding of the city itself.