In 2020, cities found themselves on the frontlines of the battle against a new and fast-spreading virus that soon became a global pandemic. Even as some places reacted with smart and swift responses that allowed for a partial return to normalcy, in others, the virus remains a fixture of daily life.

Although epicenters of initial community spread, cites also offer some of the best opportunities to respond to the crisis by building back more sustainably and more equitably from the accompanying economic disruption.

As shutdowns quieted city streets, we watched communities transform parking lots into restaurants, roads into pop-up bike lanes, parks into recreation facilities, and so much more. Walking and biking are surging in popularity as cities rethink public spaces so everyone, from essential workers to children, can safely get around and experience the outside world.

From Mumbai to Beijing to Washington, our global and local experts have provided crucial insights into how life around the world is adjusting. This year, TheCityFix’s top blogs stitch together the fabric of urban life in these unprecedented times. More than 120 experts and thought leaders contributed over 100 blogs. Our top 10 blogs feature voices from seven countries exploring the implications of COVID-19 on the future of cities, the road to recovery for public transportation, and what cities are doing to adapt.

1. How Will COVID-19 Affect Urban Planning? Rogier van den Berg
2. From My Window: A View of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mumbai, Madhav Pai
3. Physical Distancing on Mumbai’s Trains Is Nearly Impossible, and Station Design Is a Big Reason Why, Leona Nunes, Lubaina Rangwala and Madhav Pai
4. COVID-19 Could Affect Cities for Years. Here Are 4 Ways They’re Coping Now, Schuyler Null and Hillary Smith
5. 3 Ways China’s Transport Sector Is Working to Recover from COVID-19 Lockdowns, Daizong Liu, Lulu Xue and Tina Huang
6. How Oslo Achieved Zero Pedestrian and Bicycle Fatalities, and How Others Can Apply What Worked, Anders Hartmann and Sarah Abel
7. Do Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Make Sense for Cities? Eleanor Jackson
8. 6 Ways to Make City Streets Safer for Pedestrians, Nikita Luke
9. Safer, More Sustainable Transport in a Post-COVID-19 World, Ben Welle and Sergio Avelleda
10. More Bicycles, Slower Speeds, a More Livable City: Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo Plans an Ambitious Second Term, Dario Hidalgo

Thank you to our contributors and thousands of readers for bringing us together in 2020. We are committed to building resilient, healthy and inclusive cities with you in 2021.

Talia Rubnitz is a Communications Specialist at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

Hillary Smith is a Communications Assistant for WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

Veronica Linares is a Communications Associate for WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

Schuyler Null is Communications Manager for WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.