[Okstate]

Tell us which intersection (downtown-however YOU define it) is the core for pedestrians in your city. There is only one "busiest". And no, having pedestrian counts from a huge convention in town does not apply ;)

1) List your city
2) Give the intersection
3) Give a sample daily count (can be winter,spring,summer,fall data)
Also cite your info. where possible

My city:
1) Portland, Oregon
2) Broadway/Morrison
3) 26,577

Data gathered in June of 2008 on a Thursday (next results will be available in June 2009)
from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM

http://www.portlandalliance.com/downtown_services/ped-counts/2008/June/June08%20Results.pdf

[staff]

I have no idea where to get such data, but I think the busiest crossings/spots in Malmö when it comes to pedestrian activity would be Hamngatan/Grand Square, Södertull or the triangular "Shibuya"-crossing at Triangeln ("the triangle", if that wasn't obvious enough).


A video I posted in the video section shows the northern part of Södertull on a normal winter day (it's probably busier at the south part crossing the canal though).

At around 0:20
DdiMUnIMVj8

[Crawford]

The busiest pedestrian intersection in NYC is 34th Street/7th Avenue in Manhattan, largely due to the many Penn Station exits around this intersection.

In Mexico City. I would guess somewhere in the illegal street markets in Tepito.

[miketoronto]

Yonge-Dundas. 1 million pedestrians a week cross that intersection. Or about 142,000 a day.

[Cirrus]

There is no single core intersection in DC. I doubt whatever intersection ranks as the busiest is very much busier than dozens of others.

[mhays]

I'm not finding good numbers for Seattle.

The Downtown Seattle Association does counts, but only a cross section of intersections, and not including some big ones. Also, their counts are only 4.5 hours per day encompassing rush hours and lunch. http://www.downtownseattle.com/content/businesses/PedCount.cfm

They include two big ones, 6th & Pine and 4th & Pine. Both are retail focused crowds. Their 4.5-hour counts were 7,448 and 7,190. Because these are retail focused intersections rather than work-focused intersections, their volumes probably stay relatively strong throughout the day and early evening. (PS, you can bypass these intersections by using the Bus Tunnel mezannine or the skybridge to Pacific Place.)

They didn't include First & Pike, the "front door" of the Pike Place Market. That could be #1, with sizeable peak traffic and constant traffic.

They also didn't include any intersections in the biggest office districts, like maybe a few along 3rd, 4th, or 5th. Because the survey focused on rush hours and lunchtime, they might have scored highest.

[emathias]

Chicago Downtown Pedestrian Studies (http://http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?blockName=Transportation%2fI+Want+To&deptMainCategoryOID=&channelId=0&programId=0&entityName=Transportation&topChannelName=Dept&contentOID=537023955&Failed_Reason=Invalid+timestamp,+engine+has+been+restarted&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&Failed_Page=%2fwebportal%2fportalContentItemAction.do&context=dept)

Those studies above don't seem to break down by intersection, rather by sidewalk block so it's kinda hard to directly compare. A typical intersection of two roads would have eight sidewalk blocks meeting, but I can't just add those up to compare because there could be some duplication. A reasonable way to compare might be to take half of the sum of all eight sidewalk blocks (since it's likely every person walking in on one segment walked out on another). I should also note that these counts are from 7:45am to 5:45pm, which misses people engaged in nighttime activities - they are true "daytime" counts, not 24-hour counts. In some areas, that wouldn't be too different, but in others it would average out to thousands more.

For a single stretch of sidewalk on one side of a block, the highest trafficked area in Chicago is the east side of Michigan Avenue from Pearson to Chestnut, in front of the Water Tower Place mall. Adding in the traffic across the street from there, and from the Chestnut cross-street, you'd be looking at an intersection with in the area of 83,000 people on a weekday. If they'd counted in pedestrians after 5:45pm, I think that number would probably go up anywhere from 25-50%.

In the Loop area, using my method above of using half of the eight block-sides, the two main commuter station pathways to the loop are the intersections of Wacker and Adams with 53,050 people per day, and Wacker and Madison with 57,500. At State and Madison, the numerical center of Chicago, the count is 57,950 people. But the busiest daytime intersection seems to be Lasalle and Madison, which is basically the heart of the business district, at 58,150 people.

Bonus Chicago commuting trivia:

Over 243,000 people per day walk in or out of the Chicago Loop over the Chicago River during business hours. That doesn't count pedestrians coming to the Loop from the south or the east, which I'm sure is probably enough to push it over 300,000/day. Granted, that covers both sides of the street for 15 bridges, plus 8 addition streets if you add in the south access. Adding in the 150,000 trips in and out of the Loop via the El and 127,000 via subway and probably at least 100,000 by bus, we're looking at nearly 700,000 trips in or out of the loop every day via some method other than car. Car still accounts for over 1/3 of trips to the loop, so that means over a million trips in or out of the Loop every day. The Loop as commonly defined (bounded by Michigan, Harrison and the River) is a bit less than a square mile and per the 1990 census about 305,000 people worked in it.

[Okstate]

There is no single core intersection in DC. I doubt whatever intersection ranks as the busiest is very much busier than dozens of others.

That's completely understandable. For Portland, the intersection I used was not the busiest the year before & I'm sure it changes on a day to day basis. The next 4-5 intersections on the list were within just a couple thousand of each other.

If you can't think/know of the busiest could you list maybe the top 2 or 3 like mhays or emathias?

[flar]

King Street in downtown Hamilton, Ontario between John and James sees about 62,000 pedestrians per day.

[Jasonhouse]

No idea, but whatever it is for Tampa, I'm sure it pales in comparison to others being discussed here. Maybe an intersection near the courthouse or convention center gets 5-10k pedestrian crossings a day.

[Crawford]

I would imagine that for most cities, the busiest intersections would be near transit routes and/or near shopping/tourist hubs.

In NYC, I think the top five in order are:

1. 34th/7th (LIRR/NJ Transit/subways)

2. Herald Square (PATH/subways/Macys)

3. Times Square (subways)

4. Grand Central/42nd (Metro North/subways)

5. Fifth Avenue/57th Street (upscale shopping)

Sorry, but I can't find the source. I'm pretty sure of the order though. I remember reading a hard copy of a study by NYC DOT.

[Okstate]

Miketoronto- I just read a blip from the Toronto Sun that claimed the daily pedestrian traffic (in 2006) at Yonge-Dundas from 7:30 am to 6 pm was 53,434. That is a far cry from 142,000. Has it really changed that much in a couple years?

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/torontosun/0828/2008082801/8.html

[kool maudit]

sainte catherine and peel.

[softee]

Miketoronto- I just read a blip from the Toronto Sun that claimed the daily pedestrian traffic (in 2006) at Yonge-Dundas from 7:30 am to 6 pm was 53,434. That is a far cry from 142,000. Has it really changed that much in a couple years?

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/torontosun/0828/2008082801/8.html

Yonge-Dundas is busy well into the night. The 53,434 figure seems really low to me.

[flar]

The 142,000 figure for Yonge and Dundas seems realistic to me.

[Okstate]

^ I wonder if the day time traffic is drastically lower than the evening?

[MonkeyRonin]

The early evening (5-9 or so) usually seems to be busiest. Now, I have a hard time conceptualizing crossing numbers, but if John & James in Hamilton sees over 60,000, I have a hard time imagining Yonge & Dundas having less.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9278/yongedundascm6.jpg
Photo by Taller, Better

[Metro-One]

In Vancouver there is no clear winner (i can't seem to find any numbers) for the busiest pedestrian intersections. I would guess either Robson and Burrard or Robson and Granville...

[Shawn]

Shibuya Crossing: supposedly the world's busiest, with about 1.5 million per day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXtOdSgf6Ic

Watch that video. Shibuya Crossing is that busy or more so every single time the traffic lights turn red, from about 6AM until 12:30AM or so, 7 days a week.

[photolitherland]

There are no pedestrians where I live. Thanks urban sprawl! YAY

[mhays]

Shibuya Crossing: supposedly the world's busiest, with about 1.5 million per day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXtOdSgf6Ic

Watch that video. Shibuya Crossing is that busy or more so every single time the traffic lights turn red, from about 6AM until 12:30AM or so, 7 days a week.

I've heard that too. And even during a dounpour when I was there, every light change was like crossing the street after a baseball game let out.

[Paul in S.A TX]

I've heard that too. And even during a dounpour when I was there, every light change was like crossing the street after a baseball game let out.

Amazing, I like how the people move out of the way quickly for the cars.

[volguus zildrohar]

Philadelphia

The best I can seem to find are block counts taken every 15 minutes and averaged. I can't find actual intersection counts but I'd wager 17th and 16th & Market along with 17th and 16th & Chestnut as being the busiest.

June 2008: 11:30am -2:30pm

1. 13th & Chestnut

2. 17th & Sansom

3. 18th & Spruce

4. 12th & Spruce

5. 17th & Market

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Dont have specific numbers for LA, but i would imagine that Santee Alley, Broadway and 5th and Hollywood and Highland would be the top three.

[Okstate]

Shibuya Crossing: supposedly the world's busiest, with about 1.5 million per day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXtOdSgf6Ic

Watch that video. Shibuya Crossing is that busy or more so every single time the traffic lights turn red, from about 6AM until 12:30AM or so, 7 days a week.

That's 62,500 an hour for a 24 hour period. In other words some times of the day it is probably much higher.

[Shawn]

I've heard that too. And even during a dounpour when I was there, every light change was like crossing the street after a baseball game let out.

Oh lucky you, you got to enjoy one of the most eyeball-endangering activities known to man: walking through Shibuya Crossing with a couple thousand others, all holding umbrellas which are unavoidably eye-level. Yikes.

That's 62,500 an hour for a 24 hour period. In other words some times of the day it is probably much higher.

Oh definitely. Shibuya Station, which this crossing is directly in front of, is Japan's fourth-busiest train station, with 2.4 million boardings per week day. Between 7-9 AM and 7-10 PM, you will often have to wait through a light cycle just to cross - there isn't enough time for everyone to make it before the light turns red again.

[Okstate]

^ hope that intersection is in the book 1,000 things to see b4 you die.

[mhays]

Oh lucky you, you got to enjoy one of the most eyeball-endangering activities known to man: walking through Shibuya Crossing with a couple thousand others, all holding umbrellas which are unavoidably eye-level. Yikes.


It was an eip downpour, one of a handful on that trip. If I recall, out of all those people, I was the only one without an umbrella. I remember thinking the same thing about my eyes, and keeping a hand up to protect myself. Due to the rain (not the umbrellas) I gave up, walked into a movie theater, and watched one of the Star Wars movies I think.

[blade_bltz]

Was that in 2005? I was in Tokyo when episode III came out. And it was raining. But the great thing is how cheap those umbrellas are, and basically disposable.

[muppet]

In London the Liverpool Street station averages 336,000 a day, Victoria Station 391,000, Waterloo 465,000, and Oxford Street 565,000 (or over 200 million a year). The Soho entertainment district gets 500,000 a night according to the police, and doubling on weekends.

[Capsule F]

Philadelphia

The best I can seem to find are block counts taken every 15 minutes and averaged. I can't find actual intersection counts but I'd wager 17th and 16th & Market along with 17th and 16th & Chestnut as being the busiest.

June 2008: 11:30am -2:30pm

1. 13th & Chestnut

2. 17th & Sansom

3. 18th & Spruce

4. 12th & Spruce

5. 17th & Market


Volg I didnt look at data, but I tihnk it has to be 16th and Market, or 16th and chestnut.

[Segun]

I would love to see numbers for cities in India, I bet it even blows Japan out the water.

[mhays]

Was that in 2005? I was in Tokyo when episode III came out. And it was raining. But the great thing is how cheap those umbrellas are, and basically disposable.

I think it was a couple years before that. It could also have been one of the Lord of the Rings movies.

[MonkeyRonin]

I would love to see numbers for cities in India, I bet it even blows Japan out the water.

As far as single intersections go, I doubt anything, anywhere tops Shibuya Crossing.

[Segun]

Probably right because you really can't move on those Indian streets, but I would say they're the most crowded.

[CGII]

Perhaps it does not reflect pedestrian volume (rather congestion), but every damn time I have to go to Canal St. it's an adventure to negotiate the incomprehensible throngs of people. There is no other street in NY I've seen with as much pedestrian congestion as Canal.

[SpongeG]

In Vancouver there is no clear winner (i can't seem to find any numbers) for the busiest pedestrian intersections. I would guess either Robson and Burrard or Robson and Granville...

you can find some info here: (loads you'll love it)http://city.vancouver.bc.ca/engsvcs/transport/pedstudy/index.htm

according to it the study was in 2002

and the numbers were:

robson and burrard 10 am - 2 pm and 3 to 6 pm 28,000 to 40,000

robson and granville - same as above

some blocks of robson have 3000 pedestrians per hour

[The Chemist]

Not sure of exact volumes, but I'd say that some of the crossings of Xizang (Tibet) Road near People's Square, plus intersections such as Huangpi Road at Huaihai Road have extremely high volumes at all times of the day. The extremely busy crossing of Xizang Road at Nanjing Road is not that noticeable mainly because it is grade separated - pedestrians cross UNDER Xizang Road rather than on it.

[DecoJim]

As for Detroit, I suppose that currently the numbers for any pedestrian crossing the numbers will be only in the thousands.
Back in the "good old days" of the 1920s the story was different:
Woodward was known as one of the busiest streets in the nation. Along with cars, transportation modes included interurban lines, railroads and streetcars. In 1920, Woodward and Michigan was touted as the nation's busiest intersection with18,000 cars passing through it within a 10-hour period. In 1925, Woodward and State beat New York's Broadway in Time Square as the busiest pedestrian crossing with 1,233,025 in an 18-hour period.
Link: http://www.woodwardavenue.org/Tour/Woodward+Heritage-23.html

[Dan Denson]

There are no pedestrians where I live. Thanks urban sprawl! YAY

Maybe one of the interesections in the med center?