Create a traffic free lightrail accessable pedestrian zone downtown
Route auto traffic around downtown via 1st Ave from Country Club Drive to Mesa Drive. (Parking is available there to encourage drivers to stop and shop) Close that section of Main Street to all but lightrail (some delivery vehicles may be permitted one or two mornings per week before 10am) Promote downtown Mesa as a "destination" for a pleasant lightrail experience - we have the MAC, some restaurants, sculptures and antiques now but we need to add a micro-brewery (or two) a jazz spot, a kid's activity area, a burger or BBQ joint, a couple art galleries, an old fashioned soda shop, a farmer's market, a public speaker's area like Hyde Park in London....use your imagination. Picnic and play areas are available at Pioneer Park with it's steam engine (save the train!). Most major European cities have done this and it has worked tremendously well to increase tourism and tax revenues thru sales. Mesa has the potential if we can commit to the vision...
Robert McNally
shared this idea
2 comments
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Jennifer Duff
commented
I agree! Make a pedestrian mall on Main between Center and Country Club.
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Fareed Abou-Haidar
commented
Excellent idea! I've been to many European cities that have done this, and those pedestrian streets are the ones with the most-thriving businesses. Closer to home, Denver converted 16th Street into a pedestrian mall lined with shade trees down the middle. This was started in 1982 - 30 years ago! It was expanded in 2001. We don't have a single pedestrian street (not to be confused with outdoor shopping malls) of any significant size anywhere in this state. Mesa can be the first to do this! At the same time, I suggest Phoenix convert Central Ave from McDowell to south of Jefferson into a magnificent pedestrian zone.
