# Walking-only streets



## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

I am currently working on a thread showing the little alleyways of New Castle, Delaware. After walking the streets of this colonial city, and then looking at a thread with pictures of some of Pittsburgh's hilly neighborhoods with quirky streets, I got curious as to if cities across the country have streets that are walkable only. They are usually tucked away in secret places, and act as shortcuts or at least routes to places that would be too burdensome for cars.

*Walkable-only streets meet these two requirements:
~A named street recognized by the city, state and/or other government entities, to be used by the public.
~Not to be used by motorized vehicles, like cars, buses, motorcycles, trolleys, or light rail.*

Are there any walking-only streets in your area? Do you have any pictures of these streets?


Here are my pictures of walkable-only streets:

Annapolis, Maryland, has a few walking-only streets. These streets came about because Annapolis is the only city in the United States that was laid out with just a radial street pattern. This set of radial streets was irregular, and so travelling from one place to another place that were on the same block or within a stone's throw sometimes took a long time because the block was so big. As a result, citizens started cutting across yards and properties for short-cuts. Annapolis eventually bought many of these short-cuts and made them into public streets. One such street is Chancery Court. Chancery Court is named after the Chancery Court of Maryland, which was an old court system that handled business matters only. Chancery Court connects State Circle to Main Street.

Chancery Court (to the right)











New Castle, Delaware, has several walkable-only streets. Some streets, like Church Alley and Read's Alley, provided short-cuts from Front Street (now called The Strand) to the market square at Market Street and Delaware Street. Silsbee's Alley provided a short-cut from the other direction: Fourth Street to Third Street and the town green. Other streets were pathways connecting Front Street to the wharves along the Delaware River. While the most prominent pathway to the wharves, Packet Alley, does allow for cars, Alexander Alley is one of these pathways that still exists and does not allow cars. In fact, Alexander Alley is paved with grass, and looks like no more than a side lawn.

Church Alley



















Alexander Alley



















Read's Alley




























Silsbee's Alley




















Old City and Society Hill in Philadelphia have many streets that are so narrow from the crowding of colonial Philadelphia that there's just not any room for cars. Bladen Court is one such street that is a small side street on a small side street in the middle of a city block.

Bladen Court










Elfreth's Alley is technically open to traffic, so unfortunately it cannot be included despite the discourageement of cars and encouragement of walkington tourists.


----------



## ØlandDK (May 29, 2005)

Hmm don't know pedestrian shopping areas count...but if the worlds largest is just around the corner from where I live:

*Strøget*


----------



## PedroGabriel (Feb 5, 2007)

We have some walking-only streets, not alleys, but real streets, full of houses.

here's one:
Rua da Junqueira (0.32 km) + 0.09 km 8seperated by a small crossing street









we have many others

Rua Latino Coelho (0.72km) - crosses some streets, parking area
Rua da Quingosta (14th century street, too small for anything except people)
Rua 31 de Janeiro (cars can park) 0.47 km
Rua dos Cafés 0.08km (continuous with Rua da Junqueira)
Rua da Alegria 0.10 km (continuous with Rua da Junqueira)
Rua da Ponte 0.10 km (continuous with Rua da Junqueira)
few others


----------



## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Oelanddk said:


> Hmm don't know pedestrian shopping areas count...but if the worlds largest is just around the corner from where I live:
> 
> *Strøget*


Is it a real street with addresses and everything? If so, then it definitely counts. As long as it is recognized as a street (as opposed to a park or something like that) by the city or other governments, then it counts.


----------



## DiggerD21 (Apr 22, 2004)

Practically every european city has pedestrian (shopping) streets.


----------



## PedroGabriel (Feb 5, 2007)

DiggerD21 said:


> Practically every european city has pedestrian (shopping) streets.


yes, but some here, are not shopping streets, but traditional neighbourhood streets (homes)
Nevertheless a big difference from Europe to the US, cause the streets that he should we wouldn't even consider them real streets.


----------



## PedroGabriel (Feb 5, 2007)

Oelanddk said:


> Hmm don't know pedestrian shopping areas count...but if the worlds largest is just around the corner from where I live:
> 
> *Strøget*


how many KM has the "largest" walking street in Europe?


----------



## Zabonz (Feb 5, 2007)

Zagreb old town is full of ''walking only streets''

Bogoviceva and Tkalciceva are probably most famous

Tklaciceva (a.k.a. Tkalcha)


















Bogoviceva (a.k.a Spitzza)








:cheers:


----------



## Chicagoago (Dec 2, 2005)

PeterGabriel said:


> yes, but some here, are not shopping streets, but traditional neighbourhood streets (homes)
> Nevertheless a big difference from Europe to the US, cause the streets that he should we wouldn't even consider them real streets.


It's not really a big difference between Europe and the USA - I don't think anyone in the US would really concider any of those places in the first pictures "streets". They're pretty, and it looks like a nice city, but those are just cut-throughs and access paths to the water/yards, etc.

There aren't many STREETS in the US that are ped only - not when comparing to Europe where they're in almost every city.

Here's one in my hometown, Iowa City (Iowa). It's a college town of around 85,000 people. The streets are Dubuque Street and College Street. There's a small plaza on the intersection of the two streets. There's a total of 4 blocks of the streets that are pedestrian only. These pictures are mostly of the center intersection of the streets, but there's a lot of shops and bars/restaurants on the other legs of the "ped mall"























































I took most of those pictures (everything but the night shot) very early on a Sunday morning - after the University had released for the summer. It's normally MUCH more crowded than in these pictures....


----------



## zachus22 (Dec 4, 2006)

European cities seem as though they have built themselves on a walking culture, and as a result have a bunch of pedestrianized areas.


----------



## Chicagoago (Dec 2, 2005)

^ definitely.

Many of their old towns are hundreds of years old, when most people could ONLY move by foot or at times horse, etc.

A majority of American cities came into their own in the latter half of the 19th and the early half of the 20th century. (I'm not talking Philly, Boston or NYC)


----------



## ØlandDK (May 29, 2005)

xzmattzx said:


> Is it a real street with addresses and everything? If so, then it definitely counts. As long as it is recognized as a street (as opposed to a park or something like that) by the city or other governments, then it counts.


Yes it's a real street with adresses and everything (actually more street names; Frederiksberggade, Nytorv, Gammeltorv, Nygade, Vimmerskaftet, Amagertorv and Østergade)...



PeterGabriel said:


> how many KM has the "largest" walking street in Europe?


It's ~1,1 km...also the first (shopping) pedestrian street in the world


----------



## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Chicagoago said:


> It's not really a big difference between Europe and the USA - I don't think anyone in the US would really concider any of those places in the first pictures "streets". They're pretty, and it looks like a nice city, but those are just cut-throughs and access paths to the water/yards, etc.


While my pictures of the streets are of cut-throughs and alleyways, they are all still official streets maintained by the cities and for public use. It is just that the purposes are different; they are not a location in and of themselves, and are just shortcuts that evolved over the centuries. Still they are interesting to see, and it's nice to see something different than cars driving paved streets once in a while. When was the last time that you saw a street paved with grass?


----------



## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

Here are a few from Melbourne. There are alot of laneways and alleys in Melbourne that are primarily used by foot traffic. Some also are used by the occasional delivery vehicle and so don't fit into your criteria. These that follow are all pedestarian only (I think):


































For more on streets like these check this thread out, http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=210850


----------



## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

HK has alot of walking-only streets.

Here are some of them

Sai Yeung Choi St. South (Mongkok)









Jardine's Crecent (Causeway Bay)









Lan Kwai Fong (Central)


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

In addition to the tourist traps, here are some pedestrianized wet markets that the locals in *Hong Kong* go to :

_Mongkok Wet Market Photos _
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=272163&highlight=mongkok

_Fa Yuen Street_ - more geared for locals than tourists









*Lan Kwai Fong* is not a walking-only street. Cars can still go along that hilly stretch of road.

Other Asian cities also have examples of pedestrianized street markets, such as *Seoul's Namdaemun* :



















*Nanjing Road, Shanghai 



















Guilin, China









*


----------



## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

A few pics of the *Strøget* area in *Copenhagen*






































And here we have another pedestrian area: *Nyhavn*


----------



## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

hkskyline said:


> In addition to the tourist traps, here are some pedestrianized wet markets that the locals in *Hong Kong* go to :
> 
> 
> *Nanjing Road, Shanghai
> ...


Some of these roads are partly "walking-only". The L-shaped part of Lan Kwai Fong is an example. 

Also, in Nanjing Road, trolleys can pass through










............

In Manila, *The Avenida* is walking only 










Also *Third St.* in Santa Monica


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

WANCH said:


> Some of these roads are partly "walking-only". The L-shaped part of Lan Kwai Fong is an example.
> 
> Also, in Nanjing Road, trolleys can pass through


Even some of the streets you mentioned about Hong Kong are not purely walking-only since delivery trucks can pass through (ie. Ladies market). Those trolleys are for tourism purposes and just run up and down the street, and is not part of regular vehicular traffic. I don't think they can even run on the regular streets.


----------



## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

In Vienna there are several pedestrian streets, the most famous one listed below:

Kohlmarkt. From the imperial palace to the beginning of the Graben










Am Graben. (center of the 1st district)
Whereas its hard to say if its a street or already long square...










Kärntnerstraße (from the end of the Graben to the border of the 1st district)



















Those three streets together are often called the "golden U". As they fomr an U together.

A quite large pedestrian street outside the 1st district is a long part of the Favoritenstraße. its in contrast to the streets above, no upper class shops or tourist location. Hard to find pictures of it on the net though




















PS:
Those night photos above are very lively at day time, at night its calmer as all shops are closed. But you still will find a certain number just strolling around.


----------



## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

Ahh, I forgot about this little gem:










Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, CA


----------



## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

gladisimo said:


> Ahh, I forgot about this little gem:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I mentioned that earlier but that's one of my favourite shopping areas in SoCal other than Melrose and Hollywood Blvd.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Hong Kong*'s Lei Yuen St. W and E in the central business district are 2 alleys that are not paved for car use. Hawkers line the sides selling their wares to office workers who pass along the two streets during their commute and at lunch. Recently, there was a cave-in on one of these streets, swallowing a few hawkers but causing no injuries.


----------



## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

^^ Is that a dirt road, or paved with something else?


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

xzmattzx said:


> ^^ Is that a dirt road, or paved with something else?


Just regular sidewalk pavement, not asphalt with lane markings.


----------



## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

WANCH said:


> I mentioned that earlier but that's one of my favourite shopping areas in SoCal other than Melrose and Hollywood Blvd.


Sorry, Wanch, I guess I missed it. I just thought of it because I went to Santana Row in San Jose yesterday and it reminded me a lot of Santa Monica.


----------



## somataki (Aug 10, 2005)

Here is one of Europe's biggest and most beautifull (if not the biggest and the most beautifull) walking streets. It is in Athens, around Acropolis and offers an amazing view to the Acropolis and to other monuments:


----------



## hix (Jun 11, 2006)

My city is a real car-friendly place. We don't have asmuch pedestrians zones as other towns in Europe. I hope that in the 6 years to come this will change cince the council has plans to ban the car out of the city-centre. I have high hopes!:banana: 
This is not a street but a walking-only place in Brussels:


----------



## Gioven (Dec 30, 2006)

*PADUA (NORTHERN ITALY)*

Some pedestrian zones in my city:


----------



## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

If you like these types of pedestrian only street, you'll love to stroll around almost any part of Europe xzmattzx. Here nearly every city, town and village has pedestrian only streets, sometimes large parts of the city center or old town are dedicated to foot transport. Sometimes the entire city like Venice.

Really, it is pretty amazing around these parts if you are impressed by pedestrian zones.


----------



## Sean in New Orleans (Apr 7, 2005)

Pirate's Alley in New Orleans...fool of mystery, beauty, history, and quaint shops, artists, and interesting cafes:





































St. Ann St. in the French Quarter in New Orleans...just 50 yards from Pirate's Alley:










Chartres & St. Peter St. leading up to Pirate's Alley:










Inside of St. Louis Cathedral---Pirate's Alley is on the side of this Cathedral:


----------



## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Justme said:


> If you like these types of pedestrian only street, you'll love to stroll around almost any part of Europe xzmattzx. Here nearly every city, town and village has pedestrian only streets, sometimes large parts of the city center or old town are dedicated to foot transport. Sometimes the entire city like Venice.
> 
> Really, it is pretty amazing around these parts if you are impressed by pedestrian zones.


I do want to go to Europe some time. I get the impression that there are countless European cities that are fun to just walk around and explore, and come across hidden areas or secrets or interesting stuff like that.

One city that no one has shown on here that I thought would be a wealth of photos and discussion is London. Aren't there little alleys in neighborhoods or pedestrian enclaves?


----------



## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Chambers Walk is a street in Princeton, New Jersey (photo thread of Princeton to come later). Chambers Walk cuts through Palmer Square, a public square located in the commercial area of Princeton.










The Nassau Inn is located on Chambers Walk, visible in front of the porch.










Chambers Walk actually goes through buildings as it extends outwards from Palmer Square.


----------



## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Just an example in The Causeway Bay area of HK,










The green ones represent walking only streets. The blue is part time and yellow, traffic calmed.


----------



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Pedestrianization in Causeway Bay has been discussed for many years. Here is a 2004 government document related to the pedestrianization vision : 
http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr03-04/english/panels/plw/papers/plw0629cb1-2221-4e.pdf

Major points include turning Hennessy Road / Yee Wo Street into a bus and tram only corridor.

Document also includes brochure and renderings.


----------



## PanaManiac (Mar 26, 2005)

*Panama City, Panama*

*"La Peatonal" - Central Ave. Pedestrianized Shopping Strip
*








[/B]​


----------



## Resident (Aug 18, 2006)

When I visited Bratislava, Slovakia I walked many pedestrian only streets in the "old town" or something like that. I visited many European cities and they all had ped-only steets, but I didn't spend two weeks in any of those (Venice, Vienna, Rome, etc.) cities except Bratislava.


----------



## pilotos (Jan 24, 2007)

My city Larissa, has a pedestrian road network with more than 8km length, being the 3rd biggest in Europe.And of course those are pedestrian only roads.


----------



## somataki (Aug 10, 2005)

The best walkway till now at this thread:cheers:


----------



## gincan (Feb 1, 2006)

The intresting thing about pedrestian areas are that they form comercial hotspots with lots of shops and restaurants, almost like malls. Despite that, shopowners always complain when the local government decides to turn an area into a pedestrian only.

One example is when my city decided to change a street to pedestrian only, all the shopowners complained that commerce would slump, instead the result was an increase of some 50%.

Another example is the city where my dad lives (pop 40000), there the local government decided to kick out all the cars from the city center. The result was unbelivable, before the pedestrian area was created there were about 5 shops and one cafe but afterwards the area has become the main shopping district and has now some 70+ shops and around 15 establishments and always flooded with people, a place where you ten years earlier at most used to see a stray dog.


----------

