Among the priorities of Velo-city 2018, Rio there is the promotion of shared spaces and the capacity of Living together. The initiative Areas de Lazer (Leisure Areas) is a very good example of how normally congested roads can be converted into a space for cyclists, pedestrians and all citizens and tourists.

The city of Rio de Janeiro on Sundays and holidays puts into place an initiative that promotes a good use of public space. Leisure Areas is an event, which consists of closing motorized traffic for 12 h on certain public roads and setting exclusive space for cyclists, pedestrians and other active transport modes.

At present, car-free Sundays and holidays involve 1530 public roads, which are the scene also of many sports, cultural and entertainment activities.In particular, thousands of people take to the streets in the South Part of the city, the one closest to the sea. Residents of various neighborhoods enjoy their days off there, attracted by the free space, by the large number of people and by the sea breeze. The possibility of giving more visibility to cyclism and promoting the use of bicycles as a mode of transport is the major achievement of car-free Sundays. The Leisure Areas, which are already operational in Rio, S. Paulo and other Brazilian cities, are a democratic way to enable everyone having different ‘leisure options’ on Sundays and holidays.

Source: Transporte Ativo