2nd Ave Pedestrian Mall

By Gretchen Trast, Research Fellow

6 min read During the 2nd Avenue listening sessions that occurred in February and March, many participants considered altering the street uses of 2nd avenue. One of those uses was to turn it into a pedestrian mall to increase activity on the street. This overwhelming interest spurred us to consider the malls further. What are the legacies of pedestrian malls in the United States? How do we know if turning 2nd Avenue into a pedestrian mall would be a good decision?

We encouraged 2nd Avenue listening session participants to “dream big” for what they would like the future of 2nd Avenue N to look like. Participants shared their visions and wish lists, many of which prioritized increased Downtown walkability and pedestrians over cars. We decided to take a deeper look into what limited traffic can look like and what impact it can have.

Imagining 2nd Ave as a pedestrian mall with bollards that descend into the ground for delivery trucks at designated times

Background on Pedestrian Malls

The first pedestrian mall recorded in the United States was developed in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1959. Today, there are three different types of “malls” that prioritize the pedestrian experience more than a typical American streetscape. These include a semi-mall, transit mall, and pedestrian mall. Most like the typical streetscape is the semi-mall or shared mall.

This type of mall has no restriction on vehicular access; however, it gives way to the pedestrian experience with widened sidewalks and decreased speed limits. This type of mall may also engage in street programming that changes access for certain types of vehicles depending on the time of day. Precedents include Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, which has a long legacy of debate over enhancing walkability, but temporarily limits cars at night for more walking space.

Bourbon Street at night filled with people walking both on the sidewalk and in the street [photo: Ben Dutton]

State Street looking towards the State Capitol building with a person biking and a bus on the street [photo: Jonah Brown]

A transit mall is where only public transit, delivery, and emergency vehicles can drive down the street. Precedents include State Street in Madison, Wisconsin which serves as a six-block link between the State Capitol and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

A pedestrian mall is where all motorized traffic has been permanently eliminated except for emergency vehicles. This excludes other types of pedestrian spaces including board walks, transit malls, festival marketplaces, and others. Pedestrian malls give pedestrians the right-of-way “to enhance the economic and other social activities in addition to walkability, and to improve the aesthetic attractiveness of the local environment.”[1]

For example, on Burlington, Vermont’s Church Street, businesses experienced an average of 64 percent increase in sales from 2018 to 2019. Additionally, Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California, built in 1965, has seen over three decades of renewed success after revitalization efforts in the early 1990s.

Church Street looking towards a clock tower with people walking on brick mall area [photo: Ronan Furuta]

While pedestrian malls have recently regained popularity, their history must be acknowledged to prevent planning errors going forward. There was a major influx in pedestrian malls in the 1960s and 1970s; however, with suburbanization, they lost traction and autos were prioritized over pedestrians. Only 32 percent of the original malls built between 1959 and 1985 still exist today.

Evaluating Feasibility

Today, pedestrian malls have been used to revitalize city centers to boost small business activity and enhance pedestrian experiences. Overall, malls have been implemented to improve urban image, create public space, and contribute to place-making and local economic activity.

Pedestrian malls can serve primarily as a link, primarily as a place, or both a link and a place. The environmental context that they are built for determines which of the three will make the mall the most successful. As a link, pedestrian malls can connect physical space and serve as a corridor. As a place, pedestrian malls can hold social functions and street activities where place-making can occur. Last, as a link and place, pedestrian malls can promote development of both pedestrian mobility in the area and extend place-making beyond the mall itself. A pedestrian mall on 2nd Avenue would serve best as both a link and a place. It would link Broadway to the Public Square and be a place for dining, shopping, and spending time. Additionally, pedestrian malls have particularly found success in historical districts and areas that host community events, like Downtown Nashville.

Aerial view of Nashville Public Square with 2nd Avenue meeting the square from the right. [photo by Bob Schatz and Tuck-Hinton Architecture & Design]

Further, the most successful pedestrian malls seek to engage both tourists and locals who are geographically proximate to the space like office workers and nearby residents. There are five main determinants for the success or failure of pedestrian malls. [2]

1. Location of the street in the city and its relation to the surrounding areas and activities/ proximity to landmarks and heavily visited public premises.

2. Accessibility to the street and its connections with public transportation systems, pedestrian networks.

3. Land uses and activities on the street.

4. Pedestrian traffic and residential density on the street.

5. Safety and security on the street.

Mall Infrastructure and Characteristics

There is pedestrian mall infrastructure that add to overall engagement, and these include physical, design, and street engagement components.

Physical infrastructure includes shading elements, buildings, and length. Trees are prioritized as shading elements for both shade and mitigating heat zones. Buildings can create a sense of containment for both security and intimacy. Ideal building heights are around three to four stories which can enhance entry/exit experience. Length and overall street design fits best when the pedestrian mall is not too long and there are breaks in the space that allow for place-making engagement.

Second, design infrastructure includes adequate light, seating, and building facades. Lighting provides both an invitation to enter the area, but also provides a sense of security for pedestrians. Adequate seating can be enhanced by plantings and overall can extend the time pedestrians will spend at the mall and breaks up the space.

Last, building in the opportunity for street engagement can contribute to developing a sense of place and entertainment. Providing unique experiences for both street performers and pedestrians on pedestrian malls. Many pedestrian malls discourage street performers in fear of pulling customers away from shopping; however, emptiness within the pedestrian mall usually results from the lack of people-at­tracting features.

Downtown Nashville buildings showing the architectural style of the historical facades [Photo: Kari Shea]

Moving Forward

Based on previous research, 2nd avenue provides a ripe environment to develop a pedestrian mall. Further research is required to measure and assess the potential impact for businesses, locals, and tourists in this process of redevelopment.

 A study will require learning more about:

1.   Local Business Landscape

Questions to consider: what business environment downtown? How could a pedestrian mall impact businesses on 2nd avenue and beyond? 

2.   Ongoing Developments

Questions to consider: what impact does the 5th and Broadway development have on the success or failure of pedestrian mall on 2nd avenue? How could a pedestrian mall fit into 2nd Avenue plans?

3.   Mall development

Questions to consider: how could a pedestrian mall enhance historical preservation and revitalization of 2nd Avenue?

4.   Key Stakeholder Perspectives

Questions to consider: what do business owners, local residents, and tourists think about a pedestrian mall on 2nd Avenue?

What do you think? Would 2nd Avenue be a good location to implement a pedestrian mall? Leave a comment below!