Car-free Main Street?

[editor]

Cobblestones + speed bumps + stop signs = walkable district with on-street parking.

[musicman]

Cobblestones + speed bumps + stop signs = walkable district with on-street parking.

In theory this is nice, however take a walk around the downtown Foley's pedstrian areas you find 1) trash 2)urine smell 3)new drinking fountains that don't work 4)occasional sprays by the decorative fountains due to high winds. to me it is a runable district cause you want to get out of there as quickly as possible.

[dbigtex56]

In theory this is nice, however take a walk around the downtown Foley's pedstrian areas you find 1) trash 2)urine smell 3)new drinking fountains that don't work 4)occasional sprays by the decorative fountains due to high winds. to me it is a runable district cause you want to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Run where - to the nearest McDonalds? The Galleria? It's the uncontrolled elements of a real city that makes it exciting. If I wanted everything under control, I'd just pick up the phone, order a pizza, pick up the remote and watch cable until they have to scrape my malodorous corpse from the Lay-Z-Boy. Where's your sense of adventure? And that does include an unexpected whiff of urine. Next time it might be jasmine. The unexpected is what makes life - and people - interesting.

[editor]

In theory this is nice, however take a walk around the downtown Foley's pedstrian areas you find 1) trash 2)urine smell 3)new drinking fountains that don't work 4)occasional sprays by the decorative fountains due to high winds. to me it is a runable district cause you want to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Well, trash is just a Hoston thing. Blame it on the wind, or the people, or whatever, but Houston has a lot more trash blowing around than other cities.

Urine smell? Most big cities have that. Most big cities also have ordinances requiring the owners of a building to powerwash their sidewalks at least once a week. Houston's a hot place. Its ordinance should probably require it more often.

Drinking fountains? Are people really not going to walk down a street because of a drinking fountain? If they don't work, take 'em out and replace them with art.

Sprays? Yeah. That's pretty poor planning. They should have an anemometer with a relay that shuts off the fountains if the wind blows too hard.

Where's your sense of adventure? And that does include an unexpected whiff of urine. Next time it might be jasmine. The unexpected is what makes life - and people - interesting.

My wife described Hong Kong as "every four feet -- another new and more horrifying smell."

She's right. Even thinking about it now, I remember the smell.

[Subdude]

In theory this is nice, however take a walk around the downtown Foley's pedstrian areas you find 1) trash 2)urine smell 3)new drinking fountains that don't work 4)occasional sprays by the decorative fountains due to high winds. to me it is a runable district cause you want to get out of there as quickly as possible.

The problem in that area was aggravated by the poor/verging-on-stupid design of "Main Street Square". That should be Exhibit A to explain why closing Main Street to cars is a bad decision.

[musicman]

It's the uncontrolled elements of a real city that makes it exciting. And that does include an unexpected whiff of urine.

Have I got an exciting public restroom for you.....

[DMac]

R bicycles currently allowed Uptown/Downtown? Permitted on sidewalks/str's?

[musicman]

R bicycles currently allowed Uptown/Downtown? Permitted on sidewalks/str's?

No, they are considered part of the vehicular traffic and must stay on streets, not sidewalks. As an avid bike rider, for my safety I frequently ride on sidewalks. A good friend was given a ticket for riding on sidewalks last summer. So i guess it just depends on the officer and whether a ticket quota must be met.

[editor]

No, they are considered part of the vehicular traffic and must stay on streets, not sidewalks. As an avid bike rider, for my safety I frequently ride on sidewalks. A good friend was given a ticket for riding on sidewalks last summer. So i guess it just depends on the officer and whether a ticket quota must be met.

Tickets are cheaper than hospital bills. If I was riding a bike in Houston, I'd take my chances with the cops.

[Houstonian in Iraq]

There are plenty of car free places here. The reason it still hasn't cuaght on on Main street I think is becuase there is still no reason for people to go there. Here there are plenty of shops and restruants.....a reason to walk around the area. I think it can work someone just needs the money and know how to make it happen and maintain it.

[dbigtex56]

Have I got an exciting public restroom for you.....

You might have to PM me with that one...

[TheNiche]

The problem in that area was aggravated by the poor/verging-on-stupid design of "Main Street Square". That should be Exhibit A to explain why closing Main Street to cars is a bad decision.

Interesting. I've never contemplated the argument that Houston shouldn't try to become more walkable because our planners would only screw it up...but there does seem to be a lot of evidence to that effect around town.

[mainvoice]

There are plenty of car free places here. The reason it still hasn't cuaght on on Main street I think is becuase there is still no reason for people to go there. Here there are plenty of shops and restruants.....a reason to walk around the area. I think it can work someone just needs the money and know how to make it happen and maintain it.

I kind of agree with you and kind of don't. I think there are sections along Main Street that do have some things to do. However, I do think that there could stand to be a lot more. I am convinced that for the most part there is not a lot to do in between 5-10 pm during the week or during the day on weekends to encourage people to walk around. I think that a lot of the other issues might go away with vacant spaces becoming occupied. At least that is what my boss thinks...