SPACE TO BREATHE

Seattle Will Shut 20 Miles of Streets to Cars for Good After Pandemic Ends

People have enjoyed the empty streets so much during the lockdown that it’s becoming a permanent move.

One of the very, very few positives of the coronavirus lockdown has been the cleaner air and more space to exercise with fewer cars on the road—so Seattle has decided to make that change a permanent one. Mayor Jenny Durkan announced Thursday that nearly 20 miles of Seattle streets will permanently close to the vast majority of vehicle traffic by the end of May, the Seattle Times reports. The streets had been closed temporarily to through traffic to give people space to exercise at a safe distance apart during the pandemic, but the temporary closure signs on the “Stay Healthy Streets” will now be replaced by permanent markings. Only residents, delivery drivers, garbage and recycling workers, and emergency-response vehicles will be able to drive vehicles on the streets.