[raggedy13]

The problem with Winnipeg's downtown, in general, is that it caters too much to cars (too many parking lots, too many one-way streets, etc.), and having Portage and Main closed to pedestrians is just one more symptom of this problem. The great downtowns of the world have pedestrian-first strategies and Winnipeg needs to move in this direction if it ever wants to create a lively and attractive downtown, for both people and private investment. Quickly flowing automobile traffic does not make a downtown lively and attractive.

I don't even see what the big deal is. The traffic at this intersection isn't even that busy compared to other big Canadian cities. I drive through this intersection a few days a week during both morning and evening rush hour and can't see why people are so bent out of shape with having a pedestrian crossing, like every other intersection downtown.

The pedestrian experience at this intersection is so confusing to newcomers and unappealing to use that I'm sure there are many people that try to avoid it altogether, which probably hurts the underground retail more than it helps. The bunker stairwells are uninviting, unsafe looking, and so inconspicuous that you don't even realize what they lead to the first time you visit the intersection, if you notice them at all.

Opening the intersection to pedestrians is a no-brainer if Winnipeg wants to actually help their downtown out. There may be better ways to implement it that will increase its chances of long-term success, such as keeping it closed to pedestrians during rush hour, initially, but increasing pedestrian traffic in the area will help perceptions of safety, increase retail sales, improve connectivity between neighbouring districts, and attract more private investment to the area. So what if a fraction of the city's residents will have to tack an extra minute onto their commute? What's so special about them that makes the length of their already brief commute more important than the social, cultural, and economic health of downtown, and ultimately the entire city? A decent chunk of the naysayers driving through there probably aren't even Winnipeg taxpayers, but commuters on the way to their giant homes in West/East St. Paul.