Minneapolis shows the path for Prairie cities
U.S. city fosters mobility in winter’s chill
Winter is challenging for Prairie residents, particularly those with limited mobility. Residents can attest that life is vastly different at -35 C than at -10 C.
Minneapolis provides lessons for how Prairie cities in Canada can promote mobility in the depths of winter. Its extensive indoor elevated pedestrian walkways are one example. The system has helped to make it one of the most appealing cities in North America, despite being colder than Toronto.
Elevated pedestrian walkways provide warm places for people to get exercise during winter and avoid freezing while crossing downtown cores or waiting for public transit. This is especially important for people with limited mobility, for whom trudging along icy sidewalks can be hazardous.
Minneapolis has the most extensive elevated walkway system in the world. While many urbanists worry about the impact on street life, the reality is that street life is unpleasant and barely existent when exposed skin can freeze in as little as two minutes. People scurry from car or bus to store as quickly as possible.
Not surprisingly, even crime cools down during winter in Prairie cities. Downtown Minneapolis is fairly empty at street level during winter, but many people use the walkway system. While some have pointed to fluctuating pedestrian levels and closures of a few chain restaurants in the system as signs of failure, it remains heavily used. And despite providing a valuable public service, it doesn’t require subsidies.
The street life argument becomes more salient during other seasons, even though people use the walkway yearround.
However, Minneapolis attracts pedestrians to the streets.
The Nicollette Mall area, where a section of Nicollette Avenue is reserved for buses (much like Winnipeg’s Graham Avenue), provides the best example. Unlike Graham Avenue, which attracts little retail business after office hours, Nicolette Mall is packed with bars and restaurants. Moreover, a large number of street vendors occupy the wide sidewalks for most of the year. The avenue isn’t just for catching buses; it’s a destination.
Attracti ng people to the street level is a better approach than forcing them into the cold. This should be obvious for anyone who has ever waited for a bus at -30 C.
St. Paul and Duluth, Minn., and Rochester, N.Y., are among more than a dozen other American cities that also have elevated walkway systems.
Prairie residents are familiar with elevated pedestrian walkways. Regina and Saskatoon have some overhead pedestrian crossings, while Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg have more extensive systems.
Calgary’s +15 Skyway network is nearly as expansive as the Minneapolis Skyway, and is paid for by private developers. Calgary requires developers in the central business district to build links into the system, much like they require developers to provide sidewalks for housing developments.
Winnipeg’s Skywalk system is fairly extensive, though somewhat circuitous. Many low-rise buildings impeded connections from building to building, requiring pedestrians to walk well out of their way to stay indoors. Several new and proposed down town high rise buildings can be connected to extend the system. In fact, connectivity to the Skywalk system is a selling point for the Glass House condo building under construction across from the MTS Centre.
E d monton’s ped way system, while also circuitous, can get one across most of downtown, connecting to several major office buildings, as well as to City Hall. Like Winnipeg, Edmonton relies on a combination of above- and below-ground walkways.
Regina recently decided to halt expansion of its elevated walkway system because of concerns it is detrimental to street life. However, transit advocates have pointed out that many riders are forced to crowd inside of businesses to stay warm while waiting for the bus.
If western Canadian cities want to encourage public transportation, indoor pedestrian walkways (combined with heated bus shelters) could help. After all, most people won’t choose to freeze outside waiting for transit if they can avoid it.
Urban planners often treat all cities as though they’re New York. No matter how much we might want to be able to leisurely wander the streets in January, we simply don’t have that option in Prairie cities. We should plan accordingly.