Good Intentions

This week’s class discussion regarding the redesign of Paris reminded me of a video that I watched in an urban planning class. There was a problem with the use of cars in a South American city that I do not exactly remember. The point is that the government took it upon themselves to fix the issue regarding overcrowding on roads, air pollution, and overall health of its citizens. They limited the number of parking spaces in the city, forcing people to find somewhere else to park. They made wide, paved roads for biking and pedestrians, while the roads for cars were dirt. This made biking seem much more attractive and convenient than taking a car. Lastly, they implemented a bus system that took over a lane on the main road. Using the room for public transportation rather than cars discouraged the use of cars. All of these changes were made by the government to improve the health and safety of the city. While the citizens had little to no control in the matter, weren’t the changes made with good intentions? How can we determine if these transformations to the built environment that are done without our say are for the better?