Madrid Slashes Speed Limits, and Puts Police on Bikes

Cars around Madrid are moving much slower this week. In the Spanish capital’s Chamberí District, speed limits were slashed Wednesday from 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph) to 30 kph (18.6 mph). A central neighborhood just north of Madrid’s historic core, Chamberí’s new rules are part of a pilot project that, if successful, could be rolled out across inner Madrid. In that whole area, called the “Central Almond” because of its vaguely nut-like shape, no vehicle would be allowed to travel much faster than a vigorously pedaled bike.

It should be perfectly possible to lower the speed limit across this area without creating jams. According to a study commissioned under Madrid’s previous mayor, Ana Botella, 63 percent of the city streets host less than 10,000 cars a day put together—that’s just 15 percent of total traffic. Forcing cars on these roads to reduce their speed would not just help to cut pollution, but also greatly reduce the risk of collisions with pedestrians and cyclists.