Every summer, cities around the world host car-free days and temporarily pedestrianize streets. Following their success elsewhere in the world, temporary pedestrianized streets are becoming more common in North America, such as for large sporting events, cultural festivals and farmers’ markets.

This year, as part of the FIFA World Cup, some cities in North America created pedestrianized fan zones for spectators and visitors. In Vancouver, the city pedestrianized a large stretch of Granville St. in the downtown core.

Doing so can help support local businesses, give public spaces back to people and retrieve them from cars. The City of Vancouver recently announced that Granville St. will remain pedestrianized until at least September.

Pedestrianized streets emerged in Europe more than seven decades ago. The two most notable precedents are Lijnbaan in Rotterdam and Strøget in Copenhagen. Despite apprehension from some business owners and a minority of drivers, many success stories have put those concerns to rest while often exceeding expectations.

These streets have proven to be major draws for pedestrians and cyclists, yielding increased economic activity without needing to inefficiently devote public spaces to private vehicles. Critics often worry that pedestrianization simply........

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