WHY L.A. traffic sucks: Open Discussion #6: Pedestrian Under/Overpasses

calwatch has left a new comment on your post "WHY L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #3":

Actually, they thought of pedestrian underpasses years ago. You see some pedestrian underpasses remaining in the older parts of Hollywood and on the east side, where they are common under Huntington Drive. The reason they were all chained up and fenced was because people were living in them, and so were only opened during school hours, except bullies would use them to accost their prey. Finally they chained them all up and no one uses them even during school hours.

Posted by calwatch to L.A. traffic sucks: Let's fix it! at 5/03/2006 11:44:57 PM

italianesco replies:

I'm sure that when it comes to traffic, there's little new under the sun. Perhaps what's going to work is applying the same old idea in a highly INNOVATIVE way.

I really don't know what to say to this. This is a social (potentially criminal) problem, not a traffic problem. It's interesting how you can try to solve a traffic problem and end up creating the environment for a social problem. If this rules out "pedestrian underpasses" (I need to compile a glossary of traffic terms!), then what about "skywalks" (or more technically, "pedestrian overpasses," I suppose)?

Do you know where there is a nice one? There is a nice "skywalk" connecting the Westside Pavillion on the eastern and western sides of Westwood. It was probably conceived with the convenience of the shoppers in mind not that of traffic. But I'm sure that, indirectly, it helps traffic around that intersection. You park for free at the mall and then have access to the mall extension across the street without crossing the street or getting back into your car back and driving. Whoever thought of that had an EXCELLENT IDEA. L.A. needs a lot more such excellent ideas...
-----------------------
Photo of skywalk courtesy of the Minneapolis/St. Paul: Skywalk System. Interesting page if you're interested in the topic of skywalks, their effectiveness in redirecting pedestrian traffic and the issues involved.
-----------------------
Make it viral. Make it vital...

digg 
reddit 
del.icio.us