Boston’s car-free streets offer glimpse of low-carbon future

As the global coronavirus pandemic disrupts nearly every aspect of how we live, work, and travel, it might reveal pathways to alternative ways of organizing our communities.

Helmet on, Peter Cheung zips up his bright green jacket, matching the rest of his attire, down to the sunglasses. Without his signature outfit, people don’t recognize him. Mr. Cheung knows the busy streets of Boston intimately. Biking in the city since his college years, the Aruba native is now a leader in Boston’s biking community.

But ever since the coronavirus pandemic emptied the streets, Mr. Cheung’s rides feel eerily quiet. From Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, to the towns of Brookline, Needham, and Newton, the cyclist now often goes through his almost daily 10-mile ride without seeing anyone on the road.

“[There’s] definitely less stress,” he says. “And it seems like cars are respecting cyclists more because they know that people are out trying to get some exercise.”

For years, organizations addressing climate change have been advocating for a reduced number of cars on the road. It’s a goal many Boston commuters can agree with, if not for environmental reasons then in hopes of taming some of the nation’s worst traffic congestion. But so far, any agreement on how to limit cars on the road has remained elusive. Then came the pandemic.

Within a month, average distances driven in Boston fell by 75% compared to February’s average. As cars step back, leaving space for other modes of transportation, the pandemic offers a glimpse of what one possible carbon-neutral future could look like.

Boston, like many other cities in the United States and around the world, is trying to reach its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But with 65% of Boston's transportation emissions coming from personal vehicles, the city will have to dethrone gasoline-powered cars as king of the road.