Quote:
Originally Posted by someone123
The real question is whether or not removing vehicles actually generates pedestrian traffic.
Stephen Ave in Calgary may be busy but it would probably be busy anyway if there were cars, or at least that pedestrian traffic would still be present in the downtown in some form and would give rise to the same sorts of businesses. The level of pedestrian traffic present in that photo is not anything that couldn't be comfortably accommodated with regular sidewalks.
I don't think there are any examples of streets that were made busier simply because cars were eliminated, but there are plenty of example of areas that have been killed off by cutting off vehicular traffic.
Sparks Street, Ottawa:
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Its not just a matter of cutting off traffic, Its also invloves a markeing campaign, in which public awareness is the focus. Once you can combine the outdoor patio businesses with the surounding people (both works and residents) you have a very good shot at success.
Calgary is an excellent expample of a city which took a rundown strip and made it vibrant again.
Regina has also had strong success with its Scarth Street Mall. Winnipeg's downtown corporate community is many times larger than Regina's, so discounting Winnipeg's chances because it "only" has a handfull of highrise office towers within a block of Albert Street just doesn't have merit.
If it has a good design and is marketed correctly to both users and also the business community as a whole this thing would take off I am pretty sure.