Quote:
Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim
As for making it a year-round pedestrian zone: big mistake. We don't have the public transit capacity nor the huge crowds to make this viable.
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Much smaller cities, like Groningen, have successfully pedestrianized entire chunks of their downtown cores. It isn't unreasonable to pedestrianize Ste-Catherine street completely. The best approach is a smooth transition in order to allow people to adjust and develop new habits (such as bicycling).
I would begin by improving the street furniture and widening the space allocated to pedestrians by at least 50%. This would cut the number of car lanes from 4 to 3, and possibly just 2. Then, you start closing off the street entirely during the summer, much like the eastern portion. In time, it will become feasible and arguably necessary to fully pedestrianize.
Car space cut 50%, sidewalks doubled: In the next 5 years
Partial pedestrianization: In the 5 years after that
Full pedestrianization: By 2030.