Paul Barber wrote:
I agree, the Nicollet Mall has become an obstacle course for
pedestrians. Some of the outdoor cafes take up 90 percent of the
sidewalk width. I love outdoor cafes on the Mall and have frequented
all of them at one point or another, but shouldn't there be some limits
on how much space they can take up. Just bring them back to a decent
distance from street.
I understand the need for people to be safe from passing traffic and I understand the need to move people along the sidewalks, but this strikes me as one more instance where we Minnesotans needs to adjust our thinking just a bit. Many of us want more dense and walkable communities, but when we start to get them we complain.
Isn't this situation quite like those in great cities all over the world? Just because it's crowded doesn't mean it's bad. Having to slow down a bit when walking the mall because of some pedestrian congestion isn't automatically a bad thing. I would contend that it's a good thing.
The Nicollet Mall is not a pedestrian freeway. Maybe it's a good idea to close the mall to vehicles, but if the pace becomes too slow for pedestrians that are simply "passing through," they can move over to Hennepin or Marquette, put their heads down and plow on. All over the city we're in the process of trying to calm vehicular traffic. Some people are quite opposed to that, but there are many upsides. If we want people to come down to the mall and linger, then making it a more calm environment is one big way to do that.
I was recently in NY City, a great city with sidewalk cafes next to busy streets and often less than 5' for peds. I loved it.
Paul Lohman
Lynnhurst
Paul Lohman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
