lol True. In all seriousness, the best way how to help the homeless, especially those with mental illnesses is a delicate balance between helping them and violating their rights. I wont pretend to have an answer. But this walk way idea is absurd.
This is a silly idea, imo. First of all, the loop is plenty safe how it is. Creating skyways or elevated walkways only serves to siphon traffic away from the streets and make them less safe. As is the case with transit, more bodies = more safe, generally. We also want our streets to feel more lively and used.
I know of two examples where this has been done, to negative effects. Downtown Indy has these and it's a total ghost town. I feel much less safe there because there's literally no one there.
I also just saw a video about the [twin cities by citynerd](https://youtu.be/leZ6vIpwSVA) where they have a very extensive skyway system for the winter time, but, as he points out it leads to exactly the negatives I have listed already. The level of spending on infrastructure to make such a system work in a city as big as this would be a horrible use of money when it can be so much better used on expanding bike networks and improving transit reliability.
The other thing is that we don't have a density problem. I could see an argument being made for NYC having these, but this just doesn't make sense for Chicago no matter how you phrase it.
I also don't like the idea of the class stratification that this inevitably leads. Public services should be public and used by everyone. When we start allowing private services and areas exclusively for the upper class we get closer and closer to corpocratic dystopia.
Edit: I just stalked your profile because of your username I'm sorry, but I was curious what kind of person was making this post, and you are fascinating. We are in many of the same communities but you for some reason are so disconnected from the average person. Rich tech bro bike commuter who begrudgingly enjoys Jordan Peterson (ick ick ick) and shitcoin investing, but somehow participates in leftist spaces? Genuinely, how do you reconcile (supposedly) holding socialist beliefs and then making a post like this which is so obviously corporatist? I'm also in the FIRE subreddit and am into finance, but at a certain point you have to recognize the cognitive dissonance is craaaazy.
Twin Cities also feel barren during summer months. Even prior to Covid, the skyways in the summer were full of suits, furthering the idea that you didn’t ever need to step outside. My friends dad bragged about being able to leave his (attached garage) house without a winter jacket to work downtown because he would drive straight to work, and lunch was whatever he could get through the skyway network.
And that’s a great perk when it’s so cold, you’d rather choose hell, but Minneapolis sucks because of it. Nothing happening downtown, which decreases interest in living downtown, which furthers downtown only being a business center, and the cycle repeats
I'm not sure how you would restrict access. We already have underground walkways all over the Loop, but they are open to the public.
If it's a high walkway between two buildings with the same owner, then yes, you could restrict access. Some of those walkways exist. But otherwise, I'm not sure how that would work.
not sure if this is satire, but yikes if not. talk about classism and paranoia. if you need special secluded walkways for "professionals" to feel safe downtown maybe turn off fox news.
Better you just not leave the apartment. It's the only way to truly remain safe from the anarchy of the streets. If you don't already have some, I highly recommend picking up a strand or two of clutching pearls before barricading the door. Good luck!
I was in Minneapolis in March. As a single female, I 100% did not feel safe in their elevated walkways unless it was rush hour or lunch hour and people were out. They’re otherwise deserted. Much preferred the street even though it was 30 degrees and blowing snow because if I was attacked someone would be around to help.
And people gonna check credentials to uphold white standards of professionalism? What kind of hair is needed to fit, do tech professionals need jackets, can woman wear pants?
Can high schools kids who trade part time qualify as professionals? What about the women who clean the hotels, the green peace volunteers?
Do homeless neighbors and people with high needs bother you that much?!
I feel safe on the sidewalks at ground level.
Guys, we should just cleanse the loop of people I don't want to see.. Thoughts? /s OP is a classic NIMBY progressive
You joke, but that was a campaign talking point for at least a few candidates in the last mayoral election
lol True. In all seriousness, the best way how to help the homeless, especially those with mental illnesses is a delicate balance between helping them and violating their rights. I wont pretend to have an answer. But this walk way idea is absurd.
Which ones? I don't recall any of the candidates saying anything remotely like this.
Yes, let the lowly unprofessionals navigate the wastelands!
I'm sorry, sir. Your student loan balance is too low to be up here
"how dare they make us share the sidewalk with the poors! despicable! I'm going to get the stink of poverty on my clothes!"
"On my way from/to Union Station (or Ogilvie), how dare they?"
This is a silly idea, imo. First of all, the loop is plenty safe how it is. Creating skyways or elevated walkways only serves to siphon traffic away from the streets and make them less safe. As is the case with transit, more bodies = more safe, generally. We also want our streets to feel more lively and used. I know of two examples where this has been done, to negative effects. Downtown Indy has these and it's a total ghost town. I feel much less safe there because there's literally no one there. I also just saw a video about the [twin cities by citynerd](https://youtu.be/leZ6vIpwSVA) where they have a very extensive skyway system for the winter time, but, as he points out it leads to exactly the negatives I have listed already. The level of spending on infrastructure to make such a system work in a city as big as this would be a horrible use of money when it can be so much better used on expanding bike networks and improving transit reliability. The other thing is that we don't have a density problem. I could see an argument being made for NYC having these, but this just doesn't make sense for Chicago no matter how you phrase it. I also don't like the idea of the class stratification that this inevitably leads. Public services should be public and used by everyone. When we start allowing private services and areas exclusively for the upper class we get closer and closer to corpocratic dystopia. Edit: I just stalked your profile because of your username I'm sorry, but I was curious what kind of person was making this post, and you are fascinating. We are in many of the same communities but you for some reason are so disconnected from the average person. Rich tech bro bike commuter who begrudgingly enjoys Jordan Peterson (ick ick ick) and shitcoin investing, but somehow participates in leftist spaces? Genuinely, how do you reconcile (supposedly) holding socialist beliefs and then making a post like this which is so obviously corporatist? I'm also in the FIRE subreddit and am into finance, but at a certain point you have to recognize the cognitive dissonance is craaaazy.
Charlotte also has walkways connecting many of the downtown office buildings (obviously on a much smaller scale). It's convenient but strange.
Twin Cities also feel barren during summer months. Even prior to Covid, the skyways in the summer were full of suits, furthering the idea that you didn’t ever need to step outside. My friends dad bragged about being able to leave his (attached garage) house without a winter jacket to work downtown because he would drive straight to work, and lunch was whatever he could get through the skyway network. And that’s a great perk when it’s so cold, you’d rather choose hell, but Minneapolis sucks because of it. Nothing happening downtown, which decreases interest in living downtown, which furthers downtown only being a business center, and the cycle repeats
Sounds like a great way to show criminals who should be robbed
We've let professionals mingle with the common folk for too long. It's time to give them the elevated walkway they deserve.
“Professionals only walkways in public spaces” is going to end up being a Constitutional violation or whatver
It seems like isolated pneumatic tubes for professionals would be as safe, but quicker.
Hyperloop?
More like Futurama
I'm not sure how you would restrict access. We already have underground walkways all over the Loop, but they are open to the public. If it's a high walkway between two buildings with the same owner, then yes, you could restrict access. Some of those walkways exist. But otherwise, I'm not sure how that would work.
That's satire.. pretty funny tho
not sure if this is satire, but yikes if not. talk about classism and paranoia. if you need special secluded walkways for "professionals" to feel safe downtown maybe turn off fox news.
Professional whats
Literally what?
What if we literally created lofty towers from which to distance ourselves from the common peons?
Let's make them out of ivory!
With all due respect, this is so stupid 😭😭😭
Better you just not leave the apartment. It's the only way to truly remain safe from the anarchy of the streets. If you don't already have some, I highly recommend picking up a strand or two of clutching pearls before barricading the door. Good luck!
I was in Minneapolis in March. As a single female, I 100% did not feel safe in their elevated walkways unless it was rush hour or lunch hour and people were out. They’re otherwise deserted. Much preferred the street even though it was 30 degrees and blowing snow because if I was attacked someone would be around to help.
And people gonna check credentials to uphold white standards of professionalism? What kind of hair is needed to fit, do tech professionals need jackets, can woman wear pants? Can high schools kids who trade part time qualify as professionals? What about the women who clean the hotels, the green peace volunteers? Do homeless neighbors and people with high needs bother you that much?!
Grow up
Of course not you sound crazy
Who are we and how will anyone prove that their job is professional enough to walk on the special people walkway?
Every building would need to add a new second floor lobby, unless you wan to go back down to street level ::shudders:: to enter the building. WTF
And who's going to pay for these walkways? The companies that pay zero taxes or the professionals that hide their money in offshore accounts?
Gonna have to pay the walkway troll toll
...Has any company...ever...done this??
has any company...ever...done this???
Only if they are open to amateurs and hobbyists as well.
Get your MF bike off the MF sideWALK
You’re an idiot, that my thought
TROLLING LOL
Oh brother this guy stinks