Pedestrianization Strategies for Downtown Planners: Skywalks Versus Pedestrian Malls

Enhancing pedestrian activity is usually an important goal of downtown development plans. Two leading strategies for separating pedestrians from vehicular traffic are outdoor pedestrian malls and enclosed skywalk systems. Each strategy presents a different set of potential benefits and problems. This article compares pedestrian malls and skywalks in terms of their urban design, economic impacts, transportation and access, and contribution to downtown image. The article concludes with a series of questions that planners need to address before formulating recommendations for their downtown.