Sundays in Mérida give a glimpse of what the city could be with a bit of forward thinking. On Sunday mornings several main streets and the Paseo Montejo are closed off to motor traffic. Two things are immediately obvious. First the level of noise is dramatically reduced and second there is a mass of pedestrians of all ages who come out to stroll, bike, shop and eat. That is not to suggest that this should be the case 7 days a week but a curtailment of the dominance of motor traffic could yield positive effects on the economy and the health of residents and visitors.