Not the last word on "pedestrian" malls

Bus Traffic on Nicollet Mall
Originally uploaded by Zach K

I have discussed this from time to time. Dave Feehan, president of the International Downtown Association, makes the distinction between pedestrian and transit malls. The "pedestrian" malls in both Denver and Minneapolis are really transit malls.

The Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis illustrates the necessity of focused development around the "pedestrian" mall. It appears as if land use and capital improvement planning is focused on extending the value of the Nicollet Mall by pushing retail there (including the new Target store), housing, and event venues--the Target Center is one block off the mall there. Plus hotels.

And wide sidewalks which allow for sidewalk cafes and comfortable places to walk.

In short, there is a layering of activity which focuses and concentrates people in that area, activating the spaces.

Someone wrote many years ago that plants don't activate spaces, people do. Without large numbers of people around--tens of thousands--pedestrian malls can't work.

In DC, about the only place where one could potentially work would be 7th Street NW, anchored as it is by the Convention Center, Verizon Center, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery, the Landsburgh Theater, now the Harmon Theater too, even potentially the Historical Society (Carnegie Building) and the Central Library on 9th Street...

But even so, that doesn't mean that I believe in advocating for a pedestrian mall in DC. I'd rather spend more time making all places great, and supportive of walking, bicycling, and transit.

(Image by Zachary Korb, from Flickr. He also blogs in An Affair with Urban Policy)