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What experience has anyone had with these streets? Is there any streets you know of that is like these streets and should be considered a great street? I have had experience with a few of these streets, and proud to have the transit mall in Portland making the list.
Feel free to discuss the streets on the list, post photos that showcase these streets, as well as streets that have impressed you that are not on this list....in other words, this thread should be a thread to celebrate our favorite streets.
Walnut, Chestnut and South Street in Philadelphia were all pretty nice. All of them are narrow commercial streets with relatively calm traffic. South Street which is not really downtown like Walnut and Chestnut had especially calm traffic, we ate lunch there at a cafe on a sidewalk table and it was very nice.
Congress St in Portland is nice, a lot going on for a small city. Though by style, I preferred the parellel narrower streets. Portland felt like it had some similarities to Halifax, btw. Looks quite lively:
Thanks for sharing that link. I've been to about half of them and the other half all look worth a stroll.
This ties in really well with another recent thread about whether historical buildings were necessary for great urbanity. No surprise that all the "great streets" are very historic, nothing from newer suburbs.
Many of Toronto's most visited streets aren't that historic though. They're still in the old part of the city and do have 100+ year old buildings but with newer buildings and old buildings that have been significantly modified being fairly common too. Many of Montreal's most important streets are similar. Rue Sainte-Catherines in Montreal and Yonge Street in Toronto are both like that. The modifications can be tacky though, especially on parts of Yonge, although in some places they're ok.
NYC's Broadway is not a very good street to walk on because it's usually too crowded until you get to the UWS. It is mostly lined with skyscrapers and high-rises, too. I like how the article mentions the street's "historic architecture" but you have to stare directly up to appreciate it!
DC's Pennsylvania Ave isn't much better since it has so many auto lanes, making it uncomfortable to walk along. Typically, it's packed primarily with tourists and empties out by nighttime. The architecture is kind of bland (except for the Capitol Dome that grandiosely juts out in the distance), but that's my personal taste.
I get that they want to pick out "recognizable" streets, though.
NYC's Broadway is not a very good street to walk on because it's usually too crowded until you get to the UWS. It is mostly lined with skyscrapers and high-rises, too. I like how the article mentions the street's "historic architecture" but you have to stare directly up to appreciate it!
DC's Pennsylvania Ave isn't much better since it has so many auto lanes, making it uncomfortable to walk along. Typically, it's packed primarily with tourists and empties out by nighttime. The architecture is kind of bland (except for the Capitol Dome that grandiosely juts out in the distance), but that's my personal taste.
I get that they want to pick out "recognizable" streets, though.
I have to agree there are a couple streets on there that are familiar, though there is that portion of Time Square where it is pretty much pedestrian only for Broadway. Plus there are a number of spots along that street that have been redesigned for pedestrians.
Walnut, Chestnut and South Street in Philadelphia were all pretty nice. All of them are narrow commercial streets with relatively calm traffic. South Street which is not really downtown like Walnut and Chestnut had especially calm traffic, we ate lunch there at a cafe on a sidewalk table and it was very nice.
yes these streets have decent amounts of auto traffic but it moves very slowly pedestrians really rule these streets
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