I&#x27;m from Ljubljana (and currently live in SF).<p>This is what the place from the first photo in the article used to look like, before it was closed off for cars:<p>1. <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;images0.zurnal24.si&#x2F;slika-_original-1384956871-965531.jpg" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;images0.zurnal24.si&#x2F;slika-_original-1384956871-965531...</a><p>2. <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ljubljana-summit.gov.si&#x2F;icons&#x2F;foto&#x2F;lj-tromostovje.jpg" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ljubljana-summit.gov.si&#x2F;icons&#x2F;foto&#x2F;lj-tromostovje...</a><p>These two are a couple decades earlier even, but you get the idea:<p>1. <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.delo.si&#x2F;assets&#x2F;media&#x2F;picture&#x2F;20150121&#x2F;Tromostovje%20na%20barvni%20razglednici%20iz%2070ih%20let.jpg?rev=0" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.delo.si&#x2F;assets&#x2F;media&#x2F;picture&#x2F;20150121&#x2F;Tromostovje...</a><p>2. <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.renton.si&#x2F;wp-content&#x2F;uploads&#x2F;2013&#x2F;11&#x2F;1978-tromostovje-620x482.jpg" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.renton.si&#x2F;wp-content&#x2F;uploads&#x2F;2013&#x2F;11&#x2F;1978-tromost...</a><p>The closures started ~2007 and were gradual. First, traffic was limited to buses and people who lived there, and only a street or two were closed off. Then it slowly got closed to all traffic and expanded to almost the entire old city centre (and it&#x27;s still expanding). The change was far from universally welcomed intially, but I don&#x27;t think the mayor is exaggerating when he estimates that today 90% of people would vote to keep it closed. It takes some time, but the feeling of the city changes completely when it becomes pedestrian-focused...<p>I&#x27;ve been spending a lot of time in NYC lately and was also there 2 weeks ago during the storm and the closure of all roads. I felt like I got a peek into what it would look like if it underwent the same transformation :) If not a full closure of Manhattan to cars, the underground trash containers, at least, they should adopt.<p>It would be cool if SF tried closing part of Chestnut or Columbus or Union or one of those...