A Hanoi Without Motorbikes?

In Hanoi, the simple act of crossing the road can be like an extreme sport. Dozens, if not hundreds, of motorbikes whiz by in both directions, with nary a streetlight in sight. A pedestrian must step off the curb and walk carefully but confidently to the other side, trusting that traffic will flow around them. Otherwise, they’ll be standing there for hours, waiting for a pause in the madness.

Such a scene may not be typical of the Vietnamese capital in the future. Hanoi’s leaders recently announced a plan to make the city’s inner streets motorbike-free by 2025. Around five million motorbikes and half a million cars currently share the city’s roads; those numbers are projected to increase to seven million and one million, respectively, by 2020—growth that’s likely to lead to untenable congestion, not to mention more polluted air.