Banff National Park in Canada is making headlines after residents voted against keeping the annual pedestrian zone along Banff Avenue.
According to CBC Calgary News, the few blocks along Banff Avenue became a pedestrian zone during the pandemic in 2020. By shutting down the road to vehicles, the area transformed into a community space filled with bike racks, flower plants, and outdoor restaurant seating.
@cbccalgary A section of Banff Avenue will no longer cater to pedestrians, after residents voted to allow vehicles back on the main street during summer. #banff #pedestrian ♬ original sound - CBC Calgary
After the pandemic, the road closure became an annual event, solely serving pedestrians between the May and Thanksgiving long weekends, the national park's busy season.
"Those in favor of the pedestrian zone say it benefits tourism and business," said a reporter from CBC News.
However, for locals, the road closure was a divisive topic. Some felt the road closure caused vehicle congestion along the surrounding streets.
CBC News' video detailing the vote went viral on TikTok, gaining over 47,000 views and sparking a discussion in the comments section. Many users expressed their support of the pedestrian road, underscoring their disappointment at the decision.
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"I live in Banff. The number of times I've almost been struck by cars in the summer is unbelievable," wrote one resident. "Opening the pedestrian zone to more tourist drivers who don't know how to drive is honestly dangerous."
"The problem is vehicle congestion so the solution is to cater to MORE vehicles?" commented another baffled TikToker.
Unfortunately, in car-centric areas, decisions like this are not uncommon. When cities favor car-centric infrastructure and rules, it encourages residents to drive their car instead of using alternative forms of transportation.
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Definitely 👍 Walkable cities are not just beneficial for the environment. They also have economic and health benefits for residents. With safer and more frequent pedestrian zones, residents are more likely to walk or bike to their destination rather than drive.
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Walkable cities also create community gathering points that motivate residents and tourists to wander in and out of local restaurants and shops.
TikTokers continued to discuss the ramifications of the decision to shut down the pedestrian zone.
"If the biggest reason for this is the amount of traffic, they just made the problem worse," wrote one user.
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