Some American cities are finally banning cars from hundreds of streets to give people room to social distance while exercising

• Stay-at-home orders have left Americans with little to do in the way of exercise.
• But staying socially distant isn't easy on a sidewalk.
• Luckily, some US cities have begun to open some streets for pedestrians as traffic volumes plummet.
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American cities are looking to reclaim road space for pedestrians to socially distance while getting outdoor exercise amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Oakland, California announced Thursday that 74 miles - a full 10% of its total street space - will open as part of an emergency measure called "Oakland Slow Streets."

"Because of the reduction in car traffic we will be closing off a number of streets, so that bicyclists and pedestrians can spread out and exercise and take in fresh air safely," said Mayor Libby Schaaf during a virtual town hall meeting.

"When we close our streets to cars we open them up to amazing possibilities, and Oakland Slow Streets is trying to send a message that we want Oaklanders to recreate in a socially-distanced manner, a physically-distanced manner," said Schaff. "And by opening up our streets to bikes, joggers, pedestrians, we are giving Oaklanders [space] to spread out safely."

Other cities have made similar street closures as stay-at-home orders eat into vehicle traffic and cause cabin fever:

• Minneapolis, already one of the greenest US cities, closed 18 miles of roads around its lakes and riverfront parks.
• Philadelphia closed a busy riverfront road.
• Denver closed four streets.

Still, other cities with a bad need for space are struggling.

New York abruptly ended a pilot program that opened less than 2 miles of roadways in America's densest neighborhoods, citing a strain on police resources, a problem no other city has found to be a problem.

Asked about a second attempt at the program on Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio again said the police department was "concerned" about people maintaining an adequate distance to prevent spread of the virus.

As weather continues to get warmer across the country, exercise will be key for people to maintain some semblance of traditional routine. After all, the air in many cities has never been cleaner.

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