Currently, Barcelona has five city blocks that are referred to as "superblocks" because they protect pedestrians, cyclists, and citizens from the threat of private motorized vehicles. These superblocks do this in several way, firstly by only allowing residential and delivery vehicles to drive on the roads and at a very slow speed; by incorporating crosswalks; by strategically placing site amenities; and more.

Now, the Urban Ecology Agency of Barcelona, a public research consortium started by Salvador Rueda, has announced its new ambitious goal of adding 495 more superblocks throughout the city.

Reportedly, the new urban plan includes not only superblocks, but greenspaces, bicycle and bus networks, and more, all with the intent of reducing the prevalence, dependence, and demand of vehicles that a large metropolis, such as Barcelona, typically requires.

Although this may seem like a good idea, one news source relates that "Implementing [the superblocks] will involve challenges ranging from short-term traffic problems to blowback generated by gentrification," and furthermore that, "there remains a great deal of controversy over whether the full vision is possible."

This article was originally sourced from the post HERE.