Starting in August, the Chiado neighborhood will begin to see fewer cars parked on its most central streets. As reported by Mensagem de Lisboa, the Lisbon City Council (CML) will remove approximately 46 parking spaces from Rua Garrett, Rua Nova do Almada, Calçada do Sacramento, Rua Anchieta, and part of Rua Serpa Pinto, returning that space to pedestrians.
Which streets will change
According to information gathered by Mensagem de Lisboa, parking will be prohibited on Rua Garrett, Rua Nova do Almada, Calçada do Sacramento, Rua Anchieta, and a section of Rua Serpa Pinto. On Rua Ivens, cars will be allowed to park on only one side of the street. Vehicular traffic will continue to be allowed on all these streets, with the exception of Rua Anchieta, which will be completely car-free. According to the newspaper, construction will begin in early August.
More space for walking
The specific figures in the plan: Rua Garrett will gain 40% more pedestrian space compared to the current situation, on the side of the church, in a shaded area. On the other streets, the gains in pedestrian space are around 27% on Rua Nova do Almada, 32% on Rua Ivens, and 27% on Rua Serpa Pinto.
How it will be implemented
The project will begin with tactical urbanism solutions —pavement markings that mimic the pattern of the traditional Portuguese cobblestones found on current sidewalks, along with additional street furniture to mark the separation between the sidewalk and the street. Only then, the City Council assures Mensagem de Lisboa, will the permanent extension of the sidewalks currently under construction move forward.
The background to this decision
According to Mensagem de Lisboa, the project, dubbed “Viva a Rua, ” stems from studies commissioned by the CML from three companies, which showed that approximately 20,000 people walk through Rua Garrett daily, compared to just 4,000 cars —with an additional 1,200 spaces available in nearby public underground parking garages. The newspaper also quotes City Council Vice President Gonçalo Reis, who justifies the initiative by pointing to the imbalance between current street use and existing infrastructure, advocating for a gradual approach rather than “abrupt and impositive solutions.”
Mensagem de Lisboa also notes that, in 2020, then-Mayor Fernando Medina had announced a Low-Emission Zone (ZER) for Chiado and Baixa, which promised to completely ban car traffic in these areas—a plan that was ultimately abandoned due to the pandemic. According to the newspaper, the current administration led by Carlos Moedas is preparing similar, though less radical, measures for other areas of the city, namely Belém and Príncipe Real.
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