A new ruling says a two-mile stretch along the river must stay open for walking and biking An ambitious plan by Paris?s mayor to make the banks of the Seine more pedestrian-friendly has cleared a major legal hurdle, with a local court ruling that a formerly busy highway along the city?s river must remain car-free.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo confirmed that the riverfront would stay pedestrianized in a video statement.
In 2016, a two-mile stretch of urban highway running along the Right Bank from the Tuileries gardens to the Henri IV tunnel?an area that is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site?was permanently closed off to vehicles and transformed into a promenade for walking and biking.

Historic decision just confirmed by justice enabling @Paris to give back the Right Bank of Seine river to pedestrians, after a half-century with an urban highway crossing the City of Light. It now opens a new horizon for more well-being & air quality here. Bravo !#BergesdeSeine pic.twitter.com/ebReAQzdaO? Pierre Cannet (@pierrecannet) October 25, 2018
Almost immediately, the move was met with opposition by conservative politicians and motorist advocacy groups, and in February 2018, a Paris court ruled to reverse the mayor?s decision and reopen the street to cars.
That ruling was appealed, and this week, a higher court has declared the street should be a car-free public space.
The roadway itself, which had been closed in summer as part of the city?s long-standing Paris Plages initiative...