[azliam]

Originally Posted by mwadswor

There are plenty of places where walkways are used effectively underneath the tracks in the center of the road. I think it's a bad idea in Phoenix both because walkways are effective underneath elevated tracks, which Phoenix doesn't have (they're on the way up or down from the trains and stations, not out of the way for people to get up to them above everything else) and Phoenix doesn't have enough street life as it is, we don't need to cannibalize what little street life we have by diverting it away from the sidewalks and storefronts (or potential storefronts) and up above the middle of the road.

Bangkok for example has a large elevated walkway underneath a significant portion of the BTS train. It connects directly into the upper levels of nearby buildings and it has room for vendors and shops (coffee/doughnut shops, newsstands, currency exchanges, etc.) along the walkway. My pics.







Like I said though, the walkway is easily accessible and underneath the train, and the sidewalks are so thoroughly congested with people and street vendors that having elevated walkways increases mobility without cannibalizing the street life.

You are right about Phoenix not having enough pedestrian traffic along Central; however, Phoenix is not a typical large city either. With the status quo, I just do not foresee Phoenix having a bunch of pedestrian traffic along Central Ave to downtown even with the lightrail moving along the middle. The sidewalks are narrow in some parts, wide in other parts, there is alot of empty space along Central in areas, not enough shade, etc. There needs to be something to actually draw more people to that area that would help to tie the midtown area with the downtown area, and I just don't foresee with the ways things are now (at least during the long hot summers) alot of pedestrian traffic moving along Central or even wanting to walk in the heat along Central all the way to downtown. A skywalk, however, could keep people cooled, allow for great views and for pedestrians to actually take time to see what is actually along Central (without worrying about hurrying to the next destination because it is so hot), and have plenty of points in it where people COULD get to street level. The idea isn't to take people away from street-level, it's actually to get more people to go along Central and downtown and see what is actually (or could potentially be) down there.