Greener centers, grayer suburbs?

Summary In 2016, the city of Paris decided to close a section of the "Georges-Pompidou" embankment road completely to car traffic. This note describes the effects of this decision on traffic conditions on the boulevard périphérique. The closure of the "voie sur berges" has increased the occupancy rate, the likelihood of congestion and travel times on the eastbound lanes, particularly for the southern ring road. Since the ring road approaches are more densely populated than the Seine approaches, it is possible that the net effect of this closure on the number of residents exposed to more polluted air was negative.