Pedestrianizing historic city centers boosts local economies more than car-friendly layouts do. I've seen my own downtown struggle for years with empty storefronts, but the moment one block banned cars temporarily, foot traffic doubled and cafes reported a 30% jump in sales. Yes, businesses initially worried about losing drive-by customers, but data from similar projects in Europe suggests that pedestrians stay longer and spend more per visit. There are trade-offs with delivery access and residents' parking, yet the net gain seems hard to ignore.