Day 28: The Strip – Las Vegas, NV
The number 3 top photo of this series is a true shocker: Las Vegas. Why is Las Vegas a shocker, you ask? Well, because I really don’t consider Las Vegas to be walkable at all. In fact, I think it’s one of the least walkable cities in the US. The region is plagued by sprawl – in the middle of the desert. Not a good plan for utility resource management. Nor the billions of dazzling lights and the grandiose car-oriented scale of the Las Vegas Strip. I almost choked when I read that Las Vegas was selected as a top 10 walking city. This proves that the list has no credibility.
With that said, there are some great examples of pedestrian design and some really beautiful sights to behold. This photo really stuck out to me because of the lights and the way the people turned out in the photo. It’s kind of haunting in a way to me.
Perhaps Las Vegas is a good lesson for those that aren’t familiar with walkable neighborhoods. Great sidewalks and design does not a walkable neighborhood make. There is a lot more to it—like mixes of uses, higher residential density, small setbacks—all of these are things Las Vegas doesn’t have much of. Plus, I hate being forced to enter casinos to continue walking down a sidewalk or to use a pedestrian bridge to cross the street—something that Las Vegas is very good at. Perhaps it does keep pedestrians safer, but for a city lover like myself, it’s a deal breaker.
You can view more photos of Vegas in the photo gallery.
This article is a part of the Exploring the Walkability of America in 30 Days photo series.
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Sharon Machlis Gartenberg 5:54 am on November 27, 2005 Permalink
Outdoor malls are nothing new. The key to the “lifestyle centers” is that there’s supposed to be attention paid to making an attractive pedestrian streetscape and ambiance, instead of simply having open-air space for getting from one indoor location to another.
I couldn’t agree more about the importance of integrating “lifestyle centers” into the surrounding neighborhood, so nearby office workers as well as residents can walk there. That’s the crucial difference in creating a sense of place vs. soul-less suburban sprawl.
I’d add that it’s equally important to integrate enclosed malls with the surrounding neighborhood. That’s been done successfully in malls like CambridgeSide Galleria (Mass.), on a city block, where the food court includes both indoor and outdoor sitting, and the outdoor seats are along a very nice walkway with waterview; as well as Copley Place in Boston, where it’s at least reasonably possible and appealing to walk between the mall and neighboring Back Bay retail district. It’s how malls and local business districts can not only co-exist, but enhance each other; and it’s how you make a livable, pleasant streetscape.
Eric 9:09 pm on December 6, 2005 Permalink
Read my response to Sharon on her website – http://www.pedestrianfriendly.com/?p=391