Pedestrian Malls in the 21st Century

The COVID-19 pandemic, writes Stephan Schmidt, emphasized the importance of public, outdoor space as cities around the world opened previously car-centric streets to pedestrians and reimagined street space as more than a way to move cars from place to place. "Alternatively referred to as slow, open, shared or active streets, many of these pandemic-inspired closures were successful, and several cities opted to continue these street changes over the course of the summer."

Now, "as summer ends and cities continue to reopen, local officials will need to decide whether to revert to the status quo or make the often-popular pedestrianized corridors permanent."

Describing the history of American pedestrian malls and their rise and fall during the 1960s through 1990s, Stephan Schmidt draws comparisons to today's pandemic streets, taking lessons from the successes and failures of the past to inform our current car-free projects. Cities, Schmidt writes, can "utilize design interventions to create more desirable pedestrian environments" and support car-free areas.

Based on his research, Schmidt describes four elements of successful pedestrian malls. These include "creating a sense of enclosure and requiring the use of ground-floor windows to increase transparency," protection from weather and varied seating options, visual appeal created through landscaping, and programmed activities. He also recommends that pedestrian malls seek connections with adjacent properties to reduce a feeling of isolation and increase pedestrian traffic.

"Many downtowns and central business districts now have more full-time residents than they did in decades past, a density boost that bodes well for this new wave of shared streets. Officials must weigh many factors as they bring their urban centers back to 'normal,' but they should remember that, for many, normal means experiencing the city via a car-free public space."