Making a Walking Paradise Out of a Car-Centric City

Nearly every western city had a period in the mid to late twentieth century where its urban form was built, or retrofitted, around personal automobile travel. Madrid, Spain is in that category. The Spanish capital suffered from car-choked streets, hazardous vehicle emissions, and lack of walkability for much of the last several decades.
But the city has turned things around. This video explores all the recent changes Madrid has made to curb motor vehicle travel and improve transportation options -- especially walkability. Join your intrepid host on a tour of the latest and greatest, including the city's Madrid 360 climate initiative, newly pedestrianized areas, and the Madrid Rio linear park, which replaced a surface freeway along the Manzanares River -- as well as a review of the lovely Madrid Metro.
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Instagram: @nerd4cities
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Previous CityNerd Videos Referenced:
Living Car-Free In Las Vegas: What Was I Thinking? • Live Car-Free In the S...
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Resources:
Madrid 360: www.madrid.es/...
"Closing Central Madrid To Cars Resulted In 9.5% Boost To Retail Spending, Finds Bank Analysis." Carlton Reid, Forbes. www.forbes.com...
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Images
SPAIN OECD RANK SPAIN AS THE NOISIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, Creation Date: Jun 22, 1998 6:00 AM, Source APTV
Thumbnail: Gran Via (pre-road diet), Getty Images
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Music:
CityNerd background: Caipirinha in Hawaii by Carmen María and Edu Espinal (KZbin music library)
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Business Inquiries: [e-mail]

[@bonecanoe86]

I feel like a lot of people talk about good urban design but not enough people talk about how to convert existing car-dependent cities into walkable cities. If someone were to make a video about converting Houston to a walkable city I will be extremely impressed.

[@jorgea5426]

In this video there are some Ideas. Madrid is very car-centric for European standards. He talked how the city used to be and how it has evolved.

[@somecrazdude2412]

Currently reading a book about that subject, and curious to see what I find. Titled "The Sprawl Repair Manual".

[@WillmobilePlus]

You start on empty lots with the buildings, and you wait the 400 years of piecemeal building until your city looks like Madrid. There. It isnt some magic fix of bike lanes and turning half your streets into pedestrian malls.

[@JH-pe3ro]

I think the answer isn't really a "how", it's a "how to convince" because the political dimension to it is so large. The literal how is that you provide a combination of car restriction and alternative mobility, and that could mean a metro, LRT/BRT, or separated bike lanes. And the restrictions can be layered beyond simple physical access - a lot of European cities have gone down the route of gating the central city behind permits or tolls. There's an element of cultural mythology to this, where what the culture says is possible becomes possible. Houston(and most of North America) have the issue of the mythology of freedom being tied to automobile freedom. We have to be convinced out of the idea that the cars are a strength, which is something urbanist KZbin is doing a good job of. I want robocars to actually work because they "transitify" cars - it's ownership that makes people possessive about car access, and if more people access automobiles as a service, they won't fight for lanes or parking to make the cost of ownership pay off, they will ask "what service gives me the most for my money". Which will in turn revitalize land use. And I suspect that in most sprawling cities, BRT expansion also presents an answer in that it "looks and feels" like car infrastructure and gets built in a similar way, so it fits better with our current practices; its downside comes with popularity, but popularity is a good problem to have, it means the induced demand flywheel starts favoring transit. Once you add the mobility, reduce the lane and parking space, and get people away from needing to own, the walkability can follow quickly.

[@cuttingbored4195]

@@jorgea5426 Definitely - central Madrid is looking great here, even as some of the exurbs like Alcobendas were flagged up as some of the most car-centric in Europe in CN's previous video. Shows that it doesn't have to be a stark binary choice.

[@foxylovelace2679]

I am really happy you included that segment of just street noise. It is really profound how much the backdrop of cars, police sirens, brakes, engines revving, stupid people drag racing has been embedded into my mind. Hearing only people touched something deep in my brain.

[@CityNerd]

I kinda want to make a video just about city "noise" (which is mostly just cars) -- it's so important, and you don't even realize it until it's not there, I think.

[@HallsofAsgard96]

How appropriate b/c as I was reading this some idiot was revving his motorcycle Edit: if Ur interested NJB has a video on this entitled "Cities Aren't Loud: Cars Are Loud"

[@thetrainmon]

Bicycle Dutch and Not Just Bikes have both covered people- and bike-only city noise in pedestrianized places in the Netherlands, plus--oh no!--trolleys rolling by, clanging their bells. Time for the CityNerd treatment as well in Spain!

[@kriserts]

I believe the podcast “the war on cars” has addressed it as well. More people need to be informed so I hope you do a video.

[@josephfisher426]

Buildings block noise. My in-city townhouse was surprisingly quiet, especially compared to my current single-family city neighborhood during the pandemic, when lots of people seemed to decide to have very loud parties. Sirens do echo everywhere though. And over time the driving behavior definitely got worse, with people regularly speeding down the 8 foot wide one-way travel lane. Possibly because the main roads had been made less efficient to drive, with universal all-way stops instead of allowing one street to retain the right of way. There are always unintended consequences to actions and it's hard to get government to keep that in mind...

[@ethanshelton2261]

Studying abroad as an American in Madrid completely changed my idea of transportation. This video brought tears to my eyes

[@CityNerd]

It's a different world, my friend

[@birbluv9595]

I wish I had had an opportunity like that.

[@hartc17]

Took a bike tour of Spain last fall and the biggest culture shock as an American suburbanite was all the people just sitting around in public and talking to each other

[@hagelslag9312]

That's amazing but I'm also a little sad to hear how it's a shock, as it's normal for many outside the US. It's nice to be among other people. You feel so much more involved in society when everything is at a human scale. Hope your trip in Spain was nice :)

[@rexx9496]

I was in Croatia last summer and in towns like Hvar you narrow medieval alleyways lined with tables and families and friends eating during the pleasant night out. No cars in sight. Coming back to my neighborhood in the US where there aren't even sidewalks and there's nothing but strouds and drive-thrus sent me into a deep depression.

[@rexx9496]

@@laurie7689 speaking in public is rude? Huh?

[@rexx9496]

@@laurie7689 Are you just trolling?

[@rexx9496]

@@laurie7689 None of that sit around and talk behavior is rude. It's expected in Europe. If you're in a place like France or Italy, no waiter is ever going to bring the bill to your table without you asking. That would be considered rude in their culture. Restaurants are a social space and hanging out long after you finish is expected. It's just a different culture. America is hurry, hurry time is money mindset. European mindset is more like we take our time and savor the joys of life. What's the big hurry?

[@JHZech]

This speaks to me so much. My city has a dense core of 10000 ppl / sq mi and lots of shopping plazas and parks in walking and biking distance, but wide roads, high speed limits, slip turns, and the lack of protected bike lanes are big barriers. Just a little bit of will and change can make places vibrant.

[@AthenaTheSlayer]

What city is that? Sounds like lots of potential

[@mateovazquez127]

Sounds like Montevideo

[@Justaguy689]

Sounds kind of like Houston, or literally any other city in Texas

[@JHZech]

@@AthenaTheSlayer Irvine, California

[@BlueGrovyle]

@@mateovazquez127 sounds like almost every city in the US.

[@mooingAlong]

Yes finally City Nerd has gone International! Hope to see more videos like this.

[@FrothyMeanV2]

Doesn’t he have a bunch of videos from Mexico City?

[@andrewdiamond2697]

@@FrothyMeanV2 I was about to say that.

[@CityNerd]

I'm not gonna become Not Just Bikes. The channel will still be US and North America focused, but I think it's important to be in other places to really get a sense of contrasts and possibilities.

[@thebuttermilkyway687]

@@CityNerd This is so true. This video episode added days to my life. It's important to be able to adapt "best practices" and show N. Americans what is possible. We have to get past that knee-jerk reaction of "that's Europe, we can't do it here, it's so different, medieval cities w/ narrow streets yap yap ". This video helps knit things back together. Thanks so much for all of these and I am so psyched to see more from Madrid and other cities in days to come!!

[@christophermay1868]

One of my absolute favorite cities. I lived there for a year in 2015/2016 and was able to commute only on public transit from the Estrecho metro stop to Aranjuez every day for the cost of 25 euros per month. Loved being able to go anywhere and everywhere in that city. Then came back to Cleveland and was very aware of our car centered infrastructure. Thanks for the post.

[@fdm2155]

Yes, I'm in Philly. Our SEPTA transit system is actually pretty good especially if you're not too far from downtown. I'm reminded of how convenient it is when I visit other cities that have relatively little transit and/or limited systems. It's not the London Underground but SEPTA is fairly robust mix of subway, EL trains, buses, commuter rail that serves the region and connects fairly seamlessly to NJ transit options and will take you to DE as well.

[@parkmannate4154]

Madrid is about 5th on list of favorite Spanish cities but I'd still take it over anywhere in the US. Personally I love Valencia

[@cuttingbored4195]

I was last there around 2014 - Puerta del Sol looks much improved since then, doesn't it?

[@artemzhirkov7565]

Cleveland, OH is not all that bad though when you look at places like LA or Miami. I live in Lakewood and survive without a car.

[@christophermay1868]

@@fdm2155 I was lucky enough to travel to Boston, NYC, Newark, Philly, DC, and Baltimore this summer all on Amtrak and using various forms of public transit to get around in each area. I visited my cousin in Downingtown and I was pretty impressed with the SEPTA overall!

I'm originally from Madrid but have been living in the US for nearly a decade now, and I miss the walking and chitchatting a lot, maybe more than the food. I love your channel and this video made me weirdly proud. I think it'd be cool to know what US cities/neighborhoods are trying the Madrid approach, perhaps a top 10 'Most promising cities to become walkable in the US' ?

[@SomeGuyWhoPlaysGames333]

I can’t imagine why you would move here. Even if the U.S. had top notch walkability, public transport and bike infrastructure. There would still be countless reasons to not.

[@joshua_a_boehm]

Considering Spain had a 25% unemployment rate around a decade ago....

[@cute_axolotl]

@@SomeGuyWhoPlaysGames333 Every country has its pros and cons. I'm tired of people acting like our country is some kind of warzone where everyone just fends for themselves. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging the positives.

[@CityNerd]

When I was working in the Portland area we looked at Low Emissions Zones as part of a potential central city treatment. It's all about climate and transportation justice. Pricing of different kinds can accomplish a lot of similar things. You still have to make investments in transit, walking, and biking, though. NY and SF are doing some good things.

[@theoteddy9665]

you moved from madrid to us? it all on you.. dont get shot

[@griffinmaxwell789]

Lived in the US my whole life and just got back from my first trip abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was so amazing to see how many people were out walking to bars at night and out and about during the middle of the day. I took over 20k steps 4 of the days I was there. Now that I'm back, I'm just very depressed with how everything it set up here. I've been wanting to move to Europe for a while now, and that trip solidified my wanting.

[@hagelslag9312]

I just realized why Americans have such nostalgia around the American shopping mall. That shot at the underground metro is basically just that, in sounds. Might be why the Dead Mall Series by Dan Bell are so popular too, it's a nostalgia of that feeling the mall offered - walkable third places. For me it's the metro that sounds familiar and comfortable. I hate malls but I love walkable cities and public transport. And bikes.

[@duduvn17]

I am from Brasil, and I've been in Madrid last year, as a tourist. So many walkable streets and parks. Such a joy to walk there. Gran via, plaza del sol...I wish Brasil could take some lessons, but instead we have the same car centric approach of us cities. It's a shame. Sorry for my english😉

[@manmasher]

Nothing to apologise for,your English is great.

[@aksh1v]

Excited for the European era ! I'd love to see content around the bus line changes in Madrid and the focus on equity in changing how the transportation in the city is setup.

[@CityNerd]

Dang, I didn't even mention the Cero lines, which are new, part of Madrid 360. New free bus lines that criss-cross the central city on N-S and E-W axes.

[@nntflow7058]

They need to plant more trees in those open spaces. I hate it when they paved all the ground with asphalts or cobblestone and then remove any trees around.

[@quitlife9279]

@@nntflow7058 yeah no idea what people get out of that, maybe it shows that people actually enjoy the empty parking lot aesthetic.

[@skylyrac]

I was born in a city near Madrid, and I went to university in Madrid. The public transportation system in that city is amazing, and I love everything they are doing with the city (and the friends I have in Madrid think the same way!). It was a shock to come to the UK with their car-centric culture. Only a few places outside of London seem to understand how enjoyable it is to live without cars. One of my anecdotes about my time in university is that I had to take the car to the cercanias train station to go to Madrid because the bus that goes to Madrid (and has a stop 5 minutes away from my home) was always stuck in traffic in the morning! Going to Madrid by car never even crossed my mind!

[@jennamcgregor10]

I'm sure many other people have noted it, but the density really helps make it a walkable place too. I love how many 4-5 story buildings I noticed that most likely are full of apartments with street level activity. We are making progress with walkable streets in my midwestern US city, but still don't often have the population centers to feel like it's a thriving public space. Most of the city feels empty at night as people drive back to the suburbs.

[@josephshir548]

I lived in Madrid from 2017-2019 and did not have to drive a car once. It was paradise, so much better for my health/quality of life, and just such a nice change after coming from car-infested south Florida.

[@WRFrank]

Hi! I'm a huge fan of your videos (along with Not Just Bikes). I've lived in Madrid for more than 20 years and am reminded every day of how lucky I am. The city's walkability and quality of life is extraordinary. It's such a shame that there's nothing like this in the States. One of the things you might want to study a bit more closely is the history of the recent reforms to Plaza de España. A stunningly successful project. I'd love to meet you if you're staying a bit longer!

[@jbartolomero]

As a madrileño and a fan of the channel, I have to suggest you that you come to visit Santa Eugenia. It's a 70's neighborhood with a really interesting design. Narrow one lane streets that conform super-blocks and then a really dense network of gardens and small walk-in corridors in between those. It also has amazing public transportation connections to downtown Madrid. To add some interest to it, you can compare it with the more modern PAU nearby (the newly built zones) where you finde wider stroads and much less vegetation (and are a lot less pedestrian friendly). Also, I'd be happy to have a cup of coffe with you.

[@amylang2602]

Nothing warms my heart more than a street where conversations are louder than motors. Makes me happy!!!!

[@ander4163]

Hey! Now that you're in Spain you could come to Bilbao! The city was a industrial powerhouse during the 19th and 20th centuries. Then the Guggenheim was built and all the riverside was remodeled. You should check it out and maybe make a video on it! Great videos, been following for a couple of months and I'm really liking it

[@Snowshowslow]

Bilbao is certainly interesting :) Very different feel to the other Spanish cities I've visited.

[@CityNerd]

Basque country, mmmmm

[@yonirapaport330]

it'd be interesting to compare the changes that have happened in places like bilbao and the rhine ruhr that were super industrialized to the rust belt in the US. rhine ruhr in particular took a lot of those old abandoned industrial works and made pretty incredible public spaces out of them

[@mcc.o.4835]

Love this episode. I've been watching a Spanish series on Netflix that takes place in Madrid. What strikes me is how beautiful Madrid is relative to a standard American city. In the show the characters can easily walk out their apartment and be within walking distance to shops, restaurants, train stations, bars, grocery stores. Plus the architecture is beautiful.

[@klsinger124]

What’s the show called?

[@CityNerd]

Haha, I just finished Machos Alfa and am eagerly awaiting another season of Valeria!

[@mcc.o.4835]

@@CityNerd Yep my wife and I watched Valeria and I also watched Machos Alfa. Is Madrid as amazing as it looks?

[@mcc.o.4835]

@@klsinger124 Valeria

[@gghhpuf]

I am from here and It is Wild to see how that is a suprising thing... Also I am 30 and I dont have a license, never needed one

[@francoflesia3390]

"Perra gorda" was a nickname given to the ten-cent Spanish peseta coin. On the back of the coin there was a lion holding a shield, but people thought it looked like a fat female dog. If you put "perra gorda" in a translator you will get a literal translation lol.

[@manmasher]

Thanks for the context.

[@senefelder]

That’s why a slot machine is known as a “tragaperras”, because it swallows coins

[@Dakotarunner2013]

Madrid was the perfect city to feature on your channel-great video! Another aspect of the great design of Madrid is how easy it is for people with mobility issues to get around. My husband struggles to make it across the street in time in car-centric cities, but the protected walkways in Madrid were perfect for him, as were all the elevators in the fabulous metro stations.

[@rustyshackleford9498]

This is not what I expected when you said you'd be in a different location. Very excited about in-depth international urbanist content from an American perspective. Any chance of an intercity/international transit video?

[@mariaansley1519]

I was thinking Latin America guess not.

[@CityNerd]

Plenty of chances for all kinds of content!

[@HallsofAsgard96]

@@mariaansley1519 I thght he had gone back to Mexico for a minute

[@katrinabryce]

I'm guessing the high-speed rail service to Barcelona will feature at some point?

[@dmadalengoitia]

I'm from Lima, Peru. My city is really really dense. We lack of good public transit and a lot of walkable places are being transformed into car-dependent places. However, now that I live in the Bay Area (I'm doing a master's degree here) I really really miss my city: it is so much vibrant, there's tons of things going on always... I miss the news stands where people spend some minutes reading the headlines before taking a bus or keep walking. Lima is now building the 2nd line of our subway system (which we hope we'll start running next year) and preparing everything to build the 3rd line. I hope we follow the path of European cities instead of American cities because I can assure you that being in a car-dependent city is really frustrating and boring

[@ilyakogan]

I almost didn't click because by the name and thumbnail I thought this was going to be a fantasy video about the overly optimistic future of some depressing US city. I'm glad I gave the video a chance anyway and found out it was about Madrid! Madrid is a great inspiration for other cities in the world, including Tel Aviv where I live. Thank you for this inspiration!

[@IsSheRG710]

Honestly glad you’re not in Vegas anymore. I had the same angst about being in a walkable place after having a brief stint in LA. Greatly enjoy the international cities you’re showing. Portugal next please 🙏

[@Hollandstation]

Pedestrian streets are great but as a Dutchman I don't like one aspect of them: you cannot cycle there...

[@christafranken9170]

As a Dutch person with mobility issues: agreed. A bike just doesn't work as well when trying to use it as a walker..

[@aerob1033]

Counterpoint: As a pedestrian, I love being in an environment where I don't have to worry about getting hit by *any* oncoming vehicle, even bikes. Also, you can always have parallel cycling routes!

[@gghhpuf]

I dont think Madrid is a good place to cycle... There are tons of very prononced hills, It is not like the netherlands

[@danielkostenko8189]

What if you do anyway?

[@Hollandstation]

@@danielkostenko8189 you can get a ticket

[@vamosatleti8415]

I Live in Madrid, and yes, these new projects are awesome. Also, the metro system is wonderful. However, biking is terrible in the city. Luckily they are making a new bike lane on one of the most important streets (Castellana) If you want to come back to Madrid, City Nerd, you could stay at mine haha, which is kinda weird, but would save a lot of money

[@CityNerd]

Yeah I didn't want to hype the biking much, it doesn't look great unless you're along the river.

[@gghhpuf]

Also Madrid is not a good city for bikes... Like yeah in Amsterdam they all take the bike but id like to see them cycling the hills in Lavapies

[@gillianrose5022]

I was just in Madrid, so I'm glad to see you did a video here! I really appreciated the walkability and pedestrian friendliness of the city -- especially Sol. Also, loving all the shots of Lavapiés, probably the neighborhood I spent the most time in. To be honest, I didn't love taking the metro in Madrid, but that's probably because I've been spoiled by living in a city with a predominantly above-ground metro -- I missed the sunlight haha. It didn't matter though, because central Madrid was so pedestrian friendly I found myself walking way more often than taking the metro, even if the metro would've been efficient and quick.

[@Xiroi87]

Sound like you stayed i the tourist traps...

[@zaqsd]

I also was in Madrid last week! Coming from a pretty pedestrianfriendly European city Madrid still felt like heaven, walking everywhere and for the large distances the metro is everywhere and superfrequent. I was very impressed

[@Amir-jn5mo]

Love the ASMR sections lol. One of the best things about NJB videos is that he lets the background audio run during his footage to showcase how the location feels in terms of noise-levels.

[@soccerdad93446]

I was in Madrid last July and it really sold me on the walkability of the historic area. Used the metro, train and later the cab to the airport. Never needed a car as there were shops everywhere for food, RX, restaurants and little single chair barber shops. Plus very affordable right now. Thank for featuring it.

[@jadedlynx]

I've been dreaming of going to Madrid for years now and the ASMR delivered!

[@helenadurst5993]

Madrid is wonderful! I had a very memorable time back in 2011 as an aupair in the city. So excited to see some Madrid content coming from a city nerd;)

[@siddharthreddybeduduri]

I'm thinking of moving to Madrid for university and have been there for a few days and its such a beautiful city. I see some car centric aspects, but the fact that its an amazing walkable city blew my mind. I personally am biased to Madrid because I love Real Madrid, but after going to Madrid, it's my most favorite city I've went to alongside Barcelona. The public transport is amazing, almost all areas are walkable, and you have Santiago Bernabeu, one of the best football stadiums and you have the Atocha train station, which has high speed rail service to almost all of Spain (mostly Barcelona and southern and eastern Spain). This video made me so happy as a person who loves and wants to live in Madrid

[@TomGrahamsa]

Madrid is one of my favorite cities. I will be there at the end of June. I remember a constant flow of people down a pedestrian only street toward Garnd Via thet went on for hours.

[@decdaddydotcom]

I'm going to Madrid in two weeks for the first time so this video made even more excited.

[@veggieboyultimate]

Making everything within walking distance is better than separating them far apart forcing u to use a car

[@retro1786]

“Madridanos in particular just like being around each other. Observing that as an American - uh that’s just very weird behavior.” City nerd is my favorite.

[@manmasher]

It’s a sad commentary but true in many places. The social fabric in the US is frayed to put it mildly.

[@zoonabar]

I love how in European cites in the evening the streets are packed with people window shopping or just having a chat.

[@scorpion3128]

Having spent a bit of time in Madrid in 2010, it was already an enjoyable walkable city then, but am so happy to see the changes made since then! And from an American perspective, it's such an overlooked destination that is worth visiting.

[@monshosepu9229]

Great to see you in Europe! If you are able you should go to Milan, it has been the best experience I have had with a metro system in the western hemisphere. I am not sure if this is a suggestion but I would love if you also went down to South America (or just make a video) and explore their transit. Some cities that stick out are Buenos Aires, Rio, Medellin/Bogota, Santiago, and Montevideo :)

[@lorenzohermoso1085]

Welcome to Europe. Looking forward to the rest of the new season. Another vote here for Valencia too. You’d have an opportunity to check out the magnificent Atocha station on the way too. If you’re heading south Sevilla is worth a look too with loads of new bike infrastructure as well as the more traditional attractions. Keep going and you’ll get to CADIZ, possibly one of my favourite Spanish cities. The historic core is almost an island made up of narrow shady mostly pedestrianised streets. They’ve very recently opened a new light rail line connecting settlements around the bay too. You’ll need to get a move on if you want to experience carnival (reputedly the second largest in the world or something) as I think it’s next week.

[@mfaizsyahmi]

Now that's a true city nerd, going through all the cities! An ASMR channel would be great. Usually these channels just cover a specific area and runs out of content, but if you're continuing on your city hopping journey I think there'd be no end of content for it! I missed the stadium subcount check though.

[@hendman4083]

Think he stopped the stadium thingy. Not too many stadiums around that can fit 130k spectators. Call it the downside of success. 😉

[@CityNerd]

There are actually channels that just do silent walking tours and pick up all the street sounds -- I don't think I wanna get into that niche too far!

[@isabellacavaliere3501]

Italian here. I never stopped to consider just how convenient living in Milan is; I took for granted the metro service every 7 minutes and lamented the small number of shared bikes. This video is a strange point-of-view shot for me, really fascinating and eye-opening that public transport noise can be ASMR! Please reach out if you need videos or pictures of Milan, Italy. I find what you do beautiful and important, and I would be happy to be of help.

[@DaFreeze220]

Absolutely love Madrid and have been hoping you would one day talk in depth about it as I think it is a great example of cities becoming more Urbanist. If you are looking to get away from the cold for a bit, Valencia is really underrated in terms of Urbanism. I lived there for a year and made almost all of my trips on bicycle, it was a dream.

[@parkmannate4154]

Yes Valencia is the best. The "used to be a river" central park is great for walking or biking

[@CityNerd]

🤔 could happen

[@DaFreeze220]

@@parkmannate4154 The "Turia"! Basically a pedestrian/bicycle highway that cuts through the city

[@parkmannate4154]

@@DaFreeze220 thanks I couldn't remember the name

[@joesteindam6640]

I finally made my first visit to Madrid last year, and I definitely appreciate all the hard work they've done to make the city center conducive to walking. I did encounter some unpleasant streets further out, particularly around Atocha station, but I had the misfortune of visiting during a NATO summit, which seemed to push cars off most side streets and onto main thoroughfares. But it made it all the nicer to finally arrive at Madrid Rio Park!

[@CityNerd]

Yeah, there are a few pretty wide, heavily trafficked streets around the perimeter of Centro. They do close Paseo del Prado on weekends though, which I missed picking up for this video!

[@victorquesada7530]

With family there and having visited back in the 2000s, this has been a long time in the making as well. The bus only lanes and parking system (and the seriousness with which they were enforced) made getting around easy compared to anything I had experienced in the US. Thanks for the vid and the highlight!

[@Windruzhed]

They close the street in front of the Museo del Prado every Sunday for cars! That was awesome!

[@aidansilli4257]

I spent a month abroad in Madrid and I absolutely loved it. It felt so lively and well designed. I walked far more than I usually do at home. I think Retiro should be a bucket list location.

[@BenShutUp]

Yes, wow, thank you Ray! This was so relaxing and interesting to see and learn about. Please make the cityscape ASMR! I used to watch Japanese urban alleys and street videos (walking and stationary, before ASMR was a thing) when I was in high school. Madrid is so beautiful!

[@idcanthony9286]

Gosh. This takes me back to my first visit to Rota, Spain. I was amazed how such a small town had built up residential areas, shops and restaurants everywhere. I miss it so much. I always loved visiting there.

[@clamato54]

Congrats on the move! I was just in Madrid in December and I kept asking myself which Spanish holiday it was when I wandered this incredibly pedestrian-packed city every day just utterly surrounded by people and places to go. Segovia, Sevilla, Toledo were also great towns to visit by train

[@scottcrombie8853]

Just went for a bike ride in my neighborhood. First time on a bike in about 15 years. I forgot how fun it is to ride. My city is almost totally car centric but you and others are inspiring me to start asking questions and maybe ask for some changes. Thank you!!

[@Reginaldamerou]

Madrid was one of the first big cities I visited where I really felt comfortable walking a long distance. Blew my mind at the time that it was possible!

[@amelijasorg-taylor3318]

As a transportation planner, I re-fell in love with Madrid, even more than Barcelona. just an amazing city

[@badhombre4683]

I will also be visiting Madrid and working remotely from there for a couple of months. I also live in the Sunbelt, so your experience speaks directly to me! I’m also a Transportation Planner. Are you me from the future?!

[@PixelatedLlama]

I think that Madrid is actually my favorite city, and I've traveled quite a bit.

[@Arney_Danke]

Lived here back in 2015. And one point about the transport is how cheap it is, and how it goes everywhere, almost to every suburb. It meant that you could live on the edge of the city and still get to the centre in about 45 minutes without paying some astronomic "zone" surplus. (Madrid does have zones, but almost all of the Metro is in the central zone anyway). Compared to London, commuting was about a 3rd of the price - my company would pay for a monthly ticket but it was so cheap I kept forgetting to claim the money back!

[@parkmannate4154]

Every Spainish metro I've used has been super affordable. Granted thats only 3 cities but still

[@mattpotter8725]

I never found London's transport that expensive, and it was also super easy to get around (maybe it was just that I was on quite a good wage). Other aspects of living there were super expensive however, and you are right, if your employer is going to pay for your monthly public transport ticket then that is always going to make you use it, and give you lots of options in getting around.

[@TravelsWithTony]

So much good content here. Lived in Madrid from 2018-2020 and commuted on the Madrid Rio from Principe Pio down to the Amazon offices in Delicias. Going home each evening on my bike was like slalom through the crowd. Madrid folks love to get out. Best cycling solution is to ride during siesta on weekends when all trails become ghost towns!

[@CityNerd]

Man I'm gonna have to try that. I did not bike in Madrid at all!

[@TravelsWithTony]

@@CityNerd it’s a decent cycling city OUTSIDE the center. You have Casa de Campo, The Anillo (ring trail around the entire city), and a number of Vias Verdes that start at the end of the metro like the one that starts in Arganda del Rey (SE terminus of the 9 metro).

[@whimsicalhamster88]

I love Madrid! I got to live there for a couple years like 10 years ago. Their public transportation system is 1,000 years ahead of anything in the US.

[@markusstudeli2997]

Great that you extend your accurate analysis of city development to destinations in Europe. There's still a lot to improve here, and as a Swiss I tend to complain about how long it takes to change anything in the two cities I live and work in, but it's good to get you outsider few that puts things into perspective. I was not aware that Madrid managed to change so much for the better in recent years. We tend to hear more about Barcelona and their "superblocks".

[@acrandal]

Spain is a great place to live & visit. Great transit too. I look forward to some of your ASR clips, CityNerd.

[@charlieh9128]

Hello Ray! I just discovered your channel last week, and immediately subscribed! Am planning on going back and binge watch all of your videos? Ha!! I am over 70 years old and it is on my bucket list to live in a car free city for one year minimum. I have discovered places in Mexico, Greece, France Netherlands, and Mackinac Island, Michigan. Have you research car, free cities in the United States as well as the rest of the world? I live in a small, southern Oregon city, and would love to see an area designated for pedestrian use only. I don’t know if it could be achieved or not… A lot of convincing to do!! Anyway, really glad I found you. Also discovered the “Strong Town’s” KZbin channel. Glad to see more reporting and awareness on this subject. Keep up the good work!

[@Skip6235]

This is really encouraging! Looking at those clips from the 90’s, that looks just like a bunch of American cities where people say “well, European cities are just different!”

[@PaulHo]

Vale, venga, vamos! This is so exciting! I was amazed walking around Puerta del Sol and Chueca there. Even though crowds suck everywhere, there was just an underlying and organic flow. Shout out 100 Monteditos.

[@rapramix]

So, one of the best and most beautiful cities just became better? Awesome

[@kaekae4010]

I am from Spain, if you visit our cities you will have a good leg and you will eat good food. Good video also the shot of the Principe Pio station at 12:29 just 10/10. You have to show that in Las Vegas and get rid of Teslas shit in a tunnel... and all that promotional crap. Pontevedra is an example that can also be done in smaller urban centers, and completely remove the car, also the city is spectacular, It's like a mini Paris without cars, all pedestrianized. Many cities in Spain, if not all, were already perfect for walking and now more than ever. There are many talisman cities in Spain, its entire coastline is an abundance of pearls. With unique architecture. By the way, some of the houses you see are in the mountain style 'Montañes' and 'Castellano'.

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

I’m glad you’re showing how in the past Madrid had very car centric areas and was still able to change to have a more walkable area.

[@nimeshinlosangeles]

8:10 I always felt that the #1 indicator species that you have a walkable neighborhood is street music.

[@screwaccountnames]

Benches without anti-homeless measures are also a good sign.

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

And some cities in Germany, they have rules about street music. They allow it, but it’s only certain places in certain times, which I think it’s good because the people who live up above the shops for example, cannot sleep is the street music is very loud at night. Also, I was taking a language class and I couldn’t even hear the teacher when the street music was so loud before they had these rules.

[@fdm2155]

Yes, a local project proposed a major redesign for a major street that is currently 6 lanes wide. Wanted to add a dedicated bus lane, protected bike lane, widen sidewalks with bump outs at corners. The goal was to slow traffic - people treat it like highway. After years of public meetings, surveys, studies the design was all but set... local politician sells out to a few businesses along the street and vetoes half of the upgrades that run through his district. One of my favorite complaints was a business owner who didn't want to see curbside parking reduced because 'where were her employees going to park?" did we expect them to *pay for parking* ? Yeah, who ever heard of such a thing... This roadway used to be an industrial area, essentially. Warehouses, small factories, etc. In recent years it's become home to a growing number of shops, restaurants and homes. Neighborhoods on either side have gentrified bringing more foot traffic. Most of the complaints boiled down to: I'm a driver and I don't want to have to slow down on this road. 🤬

[@johnforestersworstnightmar3756]

Washington St in Philly?

[@swederunner154]

Just wanted to hop in and say this isn't something that's only valued in Madrid. Pedestrians were always considered in plans even in the small mountain towns I lived in north of Madrid. Just to underline that walkability is not limited to large cities.

[@AW-tz6fb]

So excited to see you here in Europe & looking forward to see Europe from your perspective!

[@mmmeeelllmmmeeelll]

Great video! Loved that you visited Spain. I do hope though that you didn't stay at AirBnB while there. AirBnB contributes to a housing crisis wherever it spreads and Madrid is no exception.

[@Justaguy689]

You should take a look at Fort Worth’s Central City Project for Panther Island. It’s taking a huge, mostly unused chunk of land near downtown, and adding high density development, and potentially a street car

[@EvanEscher]

I live in ft worth, I just moved here 9 months ago, but I've heard it's going to be awhile before Panther Island is complete. I'm looking forward to it though

[@Justaguy689]

@@EvanEscher yeah, i think they say it will finish in 2029. better later than never tho! My pfp was actually taken on panther island

[@av110386]

I took a vacation to Spain in 2019, I feel like it really influenced my views on city planning/transportation

[@alfrredd]

Thanks for visiting my city!!!, I hope you can travel to other cities in Spain like Barcelona or Bilbao which also have had major urban development to reduce car infrastructure. Saludos!

[@jorgea5426]

Also Sevilla and Vitoria!

[@alfrredd]

@@jorgea5426 Of Course, y en general todas las ciudades de españa estan bastante mejor que eeuu.

[@Sanginius23]

I fully expect at least one video about the fantastic spanish HSR Network 😁

[@akashradia]

Welcome to Spain! Would love to see your take on Barcelona. Perhaps a focus on our superilles (super blocks). They started again in earnest in the famously car-ridden neighborhood of L'Eixample and I can see them slowly transforming that part of the city every day they get closer to completion!

[@bsadrien]

Fun timing, I was also there this weekend (for the first time) and wow what a city! The center is essentially perfect, loved the Lavapiés area, though I was surprised to see how some "posh" neighborhoods still consisted of very wide avenues and very long pedestrian lights, notably north&west of the Retiro park or around Argüelles.. Coming from Paris, these areas gave me kind of a New York-y vibe. Also the weather was perfect this weekend

[@Crankaholic]

Wow, that metro asmr took my back to my days in Madrid 10+ years ago. Thank you very much for sharing that!

[@obamagaming7909]

As someone who moved from suburban Florida to Paris, I felt the same thing that you're feeling lol

[@elgreco75]

The transformation of plaza del sol is amazing, first.went to Madrid in 2002 and it was a car chocked place with smallish areas for people to gather. I have not been to Madrid since 2009 but even then I could see the change happening. It's great to see it become such a people friendly place if only cities in North America can learn.

[@robthetraveler1099]

Love this. This is rapidly becoming one of my favorite KZbin channels, and lo and behold, today it features a city I know well and love. I remember the car-centric Madrid of the 90s and I have seen it evolve up until today. Great to see you there, hope you stay long!

[@JonFairhurst]

I love Madrid! I was there about ten years ago. I’ve traveled all over the world to major cities for business, and Madrid is my #1 choice for livability. Back then, you could get to any destination by metro for one Euro, except the airport; it cost two. Even though my Spanish is limited, it was easy to navigate. An interesting video could be about public transport usability. For example, I lived in SW WA for 20 years, visited Portland many times (sometimes by MAX from a park and ride), but never, ever took the bus, even though I hear that it was free in the downtown zone. The bus stops weren’t inviting. The information wasn’t clear. I couldn’t trust the schedule. If I got on the wrong bus, where would I end up? How do I know when to get off? What if it’s not free? How do I pay? But mainly, I don’t want to look clueless and embarrass myself. Busses are really for locals and regular users. Light rail and subways, on the other hand are predictable, and much easier for visitors and first time users. Good signage, easy ticketing (with functioning machines!), good maps, low cost, and easy pricing all contribute to a welcoming experience for newcomers. Especially for us who grew up in suburbia. Comparing well done and poorly done transit for first time users would be cool.

[@BrenSmith]

Love your channel! Would like to see more on European train system, especially high speed rail.

[@Grk149]

Fuencarral is pedestrian only from morning to late afternoon on Sundays and maybe some public holidays. And same goes for paseo Del Prado, Madrid pedestrianizes long sections of various streets all around the city on Sundays. It’s great.

[@massiminitrains]

I'm all for seeing everything good and walkable about Madrid because I will be making a stop there in May on vacation with my partner and we plan to spend the entire time carless, availing ourselves of public transportation as much as possible. This video shows a ton of cool places we can go while we're there!

[@bryanCJC2105]

I can't believe you lasted as long as you did in Las Vegas. I can barely tolerate a single one-night stay. Glad I don't have a job where I need to go to trade shows anymore.

[@highway2heaven91]

These shots of Madrid are pure urbanist eye candy 😃 The only issue that I have with the proposals presented in the video is that Madrid’s downtown was previously built for people before being completely rebuilt for cars. What solution is there for American commercial development that is incredibly spacious and built for cars? Is there a way to retrofit car-oriented suburbs for people?

[@josephfisher426]

The real issue is that it is usually not possible to prioritize both the transformation of the car-oriented suburb AND the preservation of the city at the same time. Suburbs are typically desirable places for city workers to live. They would usually be majority walkable with some modest adjustments to pedestrian accommodations on main roads... but people don't walk because they have cars anyway because they use them to get to their jobs. Keep people in the suburb by putting everything including the job in walking distance and a lot of them will probably walk, but then the city has no economic purpose for some of your highest earners that you need to prop things up. The "ex-urban" commercial development in oversized spaces is what is straight up bad, but this is still a smallish minority of US suburbia, and it's not sustainable... it will infill.

[@ficus3929]

I agree with this. Madrid at least has a solid foundation of mixed use development to start with. What do you do with strip malls and power centers?

[@SomeGuyWhoPlaysGames333]

Well, the massive parking lots built around strip malls and big box stores could be filled in with mixed use development. And then, eventually, when the big box stores and strip malls run through their life cycles, they could be torn down or repurposed. Idk what can be done about all the massive sprawling suburban neighborhoods though.

[@TribulationsSolo]

If you are in Spain now, I hope you will talk about Barcelona and/or the idea of the "super-blocks" some day.

[@ammoran2011]

So so happy you highlighted Madrid and Spain. Would love to see you explore Barcelona and Seville. I went to these places in 2019 and fell in love. What about the idea of Public History, Plazas, Monuments as an idea for an episode?

[@Josukegaming]

Love seeing city nerd expand into Europe!! This is really fascinating, I thought you sticking to mostly just the US (and often Las Vegas) was honestly holding back the possibilities of what you could cover

[@joethompson4760]

I love what you do and your commitment to it❤️

[@CityNerd]

Yes, I should almost certainly be committed

[@lanespyksma8402]

Love the addition of the ambient audio! I think it adds a nice layer of depth to the video

[@morganmuffel2678]

A society more used to public spaces is more at ease than societies segregated by car sprawl.

[@Gabrielbellamy]

Great video! A Spanish suggestion: you should do a video about cycling culture in Sevilla. Although recent, cycling became very popular in less than 20 years.

[@D0GG_]

I liked your Vegas content. You successfully accomplished “Comit to the bit” by living car free there(or car-less, or is it car reduced) . Hey have a great stay in Madrid your content is opening my eyes to this new perspective of urbanism. (New to me at least)

[@NealDempsey-il8gl]

I think it would be interesting to do a top 10 video for linear parks/multi-use paths created from disused or buried car/rail corridors. I've lived in Atlanta for the past ten years, and have witnessed first hand the amount of development that the Beltline trail has spurred around the city. Beltline proximity has become a huge factor in housing demand/prices. It's not perfect by any means, but the trail has undoubtedly provided certain neighborhoods with connectivity that they didn't have before, and more importantly it's increased the demand for dense, walkable development. It's easy for critics to dismiss such projects as just an "overpriced sidewalk", but of course there's much more to it than that. It would be interesting to see where these kinds of projects have been successful, where they've failed, and what factors might have contributed to either outcome.

[@amylang2602]

Agreed. It would also be helpful for those of us trying to add those paths and looking for supportive info.

[@matthewconstantine5015]

I need to go to Madrid. I loved getting around in Barcelona. So easy.