Skyway

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Skyways in the Peachtree Center district of Atlanta 2008-03-14 Spring St skyways in Atlanta.jpg
Skyways in the Peachtree Center district of Atlanta
A Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD) Chinese miniature model of two residential towers joined by a skyway Pottery tower 6.JPG
A Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) Chinese miniature model of two residential towers joined by a skyway

A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of enclosed or covered footbridges that protect pedestrians from the weather. Open-top modern skyways in mountains now often have glass bottoms. Sometimes enclosed urban skywalks are made almost totally from glass, including ceilings, walls and floors. Also, some urban skyways function strictly as linear parks designed for walking.

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In North America skyways are usually owned by businesses, and are therefore not public spaces (compare with sidewalk). However, in Asia, such as Bangkok's and Hong Kong's skywalks, they are built and owned separately by the city government, connecting between privately run rail stations or other transport with their own footbridges, and run many kilometers. Skyways usually connect on the first few floors above the ground-level floor, though they are sometimes much higher, as in Petronas Towers. The space in the buildings connected by skyways is often devoted to retail business, so areas around the skyway may operate as a shopping mall. Non-commercial areas with closely associated buildings, such as university campuses, can often have skyways and/or tunnels connecting buildings.

The world's largest discontinuous skyway network – Calgary, Alberta, Canada's "+15 Walkway" system – has a total length of 16 km (9.9 mi). [1] [2] The Minneapolis Skyway System is the world's largest continuous system and spans 9.5 miles (15.3 km) [3] [4] connecting 80 blocks in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.

On a smaller scale, terminals of large airports are often connected by skywalk systems, as at Manchester Airport, United Kingdom; in many airports, retractable jet bridges provide a direct connection between airplanes and terminals.

Some cities have the equivalent of a skyway underground, and there are also mixed subway–skyway systems; see underground city.

Early examples

The Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy Antonio Contin - Ponte dei sospiri (Venice).jpg
The Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy

Environmental factors

The Hansasilta skyway crossing over the Itavayla Highway in Itakeskus, Helsinki, Finland Itavayla kuvattuna itakeskuksen kohdalta.JPG
The Hansasilta skyway crossing over the Itäväylä Highway in Itäkeskus, Helsinki, Finland

Besides pedestrian safety and convenience, the chief reasons assigned by urban planners for skywalk development are decrease of traffic congestion, reduction in vehicular air pollution and separation of people from vehicular noise. A number of cities (for example, Spokane, Washington) have given intricate analysis to skywalk systems employing computer models to optimize skywalk layout. [5]

Negative impacts

There is debate about the negative impact on urban areas of skyways. Robertson (1988) noted the negative impacts to street activities, and reductions to the property value at ground level. [6] Woo (2012) found that skywalk systems could be negatively associated with promoting consumerism. [7] Cui (2015) called for more research into the impact of skyways in developing countries. [8]

Cities with notable systems

North America

There are significant skyway networks in many cities in the US Midwest, such as Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Rochester, and Duluth. [9] Most networks in North America are privately owned. Notable exceptions are skyways in Saint Paul and in New York (High Line), which are publicly owned. [10]

CitySystemLengthBlocks connectedLink
Atlanta, Georgia Peachtree Center 14 blocks map
Calgary, Alberta +15, +30, or +45 Walkway16 kilometres (9.9 mi) [1] [2] ~64 blocks map
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 15 blocks map
Charlotte, North Carolina Overstreet Mall 1.5 miles (2.4 km)10 blocks
Chicago, Illinois Chicago Pedway 40 blocks
Dallas, Texas Dallas Pedestrian Network 3 miles (4.8 km)36 blocks, in two separate networks map
Des Moines, Iowa Skywalk4 miles (6.4 km) [11] 30 blocks map
Detroit, Michigan 10 buildings, ~ 8 blocks map
Duluth, Minnesota Skywalk3 miles (4.8 km) [12] ~17 blocks map
Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton Pedway 13 kilometres (8.1 mi)~13 blocks map
Fargo, North Dakota 6 blocks
Grand Rapids, Michigan Skywalk> 1 mile (1.7 km)7 blocks – connects 12,000-seat VanAndel Arena, JW Marriott, Amway Grand Plaza and Marriott Courtyard hotels as well as 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) DeVos Place Convention Center
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Downtown Halifax Link
Houston, Texas Houston Downtown Tunnel System > 6 miles (9.7 km) including tunnels~35 blocks (95 total) map
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis SkywalkConnects the Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis Artsgarden, Lucas Oil Stadium, Circle Centre Mall, Indianapolis Union Station, JW Marriott Indianapolis, and 11 other hotels. [13] map
Kansas City, Missouri "The Link" Crown Center 6
Las Vegas Strip Skyways are provided in lieu of street-level pedestrian crossings.
Lincoln, Nebraska 7 blocks
Los Angeles, California Calvin S Hamilton Pedway10 blocks Map
Louisville, Kentucky Louie LinkA glassed-in skywalk called the Louie Link stretches six city blocks and links together the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC), Fourth Street Live!, three hotels (Galt House Hotel & Suites, Marriott and Hyatt Regency), and 2,300 hotel rooms. In 2010 it was extended from the Galt House to the new $16 million Skywalk Garage, an eight-level, 860-space parking facility on Third Street, and a second skywalk connects from the garage across Third Street to the new KFC Yum! Center map
Mankato, Minnesota City Center Campus~ 0.5 miles (0.80 km)8 blocks

map

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee Skywalk 1.75 mi (2.82 km)Empire Building, Chase Tower, The Avenue (Milwaukee), Federal Building, Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, Hilton, Wisconsin Center map
Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis Skyway System 9.5 miles (15.3 km) [3] [4] >80 blocks map
New York High Line > 1.45 miles (2.33 km)The pedestrian skyway and linear park on 10 m height on former elevated railway. Connects to Hudson Yards and One Manhattan West map
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City Underground ~30 buildings
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 16 blocks map
Rochester, New York 20 buildings over 13 blocks map
Saint Paul, Minnesota Skyway> 5 miles (8.0 km) [14] 47 blocks map
Sioux City, Iowa 13 blocks map
Spokane, Washington 16 blocks map
Toronto, Ontario SkyWalk 0.7 km2 blocks – Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building and Union Station (Toronto)
Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg Walkway 18 blocks

Asia

A skybridge connects the two towers of Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur Petronas Twin Towers (2459991523).jpg
A skybridge connects the two towers of Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur
Skybridge atop Marina Bay Sands in Singapore Marina Bay Sands (I).jpg
Skybridge atop Marina Bay Sands in Singapore

The highest cantilevered skybridge between separate buildings in the world is in the Raffles City Chongqing skyscrapers complex in Chongqing, China. The world's longest pedestrian hanging skywalk, at 430 meters, is the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, which sits between mountain peaks in China. The highest cantilevered skybridge as construction element of building exist atop of Kingdom Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The world's highest 2-story skybridge, 170 m above the ground and 58 m long, between the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors in Petronas Twin Towers dual skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which also has an elevated, air-conditioned walkway from the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre to Bukit Bintang shopping district. Malaysia also has the mountainarian tourist pedestrian glass-bottom Langkawi Sky Bridge in Kedah, Langkawi.

One of the most famous similar cantilevered skybridges, that looks like uppered[ check spelling ] ship from the bird's-eye and submarine from the ground, known in Singapore's Marina Bay Sands resort complex of skyscrapers.

One of the most impressionable hanging pedestrian skybridges, supported by two giant hands, Golden Bridge now attracts tourists in Ba Na Hills near Da Nang, Vietnam.

In Bangkok, Thailand there are more than 5.4 km of covered wide dedicated elevated skywalks [15] with lighting. These were developed due to lack of proper sidewalks as well as street hawkers and local merchants taking advantage of any sidewalk space as makeshift commercial real estate. Common reasons skywalks were built include to avoid street pollution, dust, wetness from food vendors and/or rain, potholes, long queues, crowds, and uneven pavement, supporting urbanism but probably most importantly, tourism receipts. Most skywalks connect to a BTS station and utilize space underneath the rail line and BTS pillar supports. These skywalks have connector ramps which connect stations to malls seamlessly and are paid for by the malls themselves, otherwise the city and BTS fund walkway development. A 50km long extension project was shelved in 2011 due to funding issues, [16] nevertheless the system is growing organically.

In Hong Kong, there are numerous foot bridge networks across the city. Particularly large networks exists around elevated or at grade MTR stations and connections between malls and housing estates in new town centers. The largest network spans Admiralty, Central and parts of Sheung Wan districts in the CBD and consists of the Central Elevated and Central–Mid-Levels Walkway systems which link up over 40 major office buildings. The Central–Mid-Levels walkway system is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world according to Guinness World Records. [9] [10] Other large systems exist in Tsuen Wan and Mong Kok.

The Mumbai Skywalk Project, India is a discontinuous network of over 50 km of skywalks in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, India. The skyways connect Mumbai Suburban Railway stations to important junctions, each 1 to 2 km in length. The first of these is a 1.3 km (0.8 mi) long skywalk connecting the suburban regions of Bandra and Kurla. [17] [18] [19]

Europe

The Highlight Towers in Munich, Germany Highlight Tower Munchen.jpg
The Highlight Towers in Munich, Germany

Brussels, Belgium has a skyway between the two Belgacom Towers.

London has skywalks on the Barbican Estate and London Wall. The City of London Pedway Scheme was devised as part of the post World War II reconstruction plans for London, it was put into effect mainly from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s and eventually abandoned by the 1980s. Shad Thames has picturesque skyways between former warehouses, used in part to roll barrels between them.

The twin towers of the Highlight Towers in Munich, Germany are joined by two skyways made of glass and steel.

The Promenade Plantée in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, France includes pedestrian bridges and a linear park on an aqueduct of a former railway.

Australia

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walkway</span>

In American English, walkway is a composite or umbrella term for all engineered surfaces or structures which support the use of trails.

An underground city is a series of linked subterranean spaces that may provide a defensive refuge; a place for living, working or shopping; a transit system; mausolea; wine or storage cellars; cisterns or drainage channels; or several of these. Underground cities may be currently active modern creations or they may be historic including ancient sites, some of which may be all or partially open to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Path (Toronto)</span> Pedestrian tunnel and underground shopping centre in Ontario, Canada

Path is a network of underground pedestrian tunnels, elevated walkways, and at-grade walkways connecting the office towers of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It connects more than 70 buildings via 30 kilometres (19 mi) of tunnels, walkways, and shopping areas. According to Guinness World Records, Path is the largest underground shopping complex in the world, with 371,600 square metres (4,000,000 sq ft) of retail space which includes over 1,200 retail fronts (2016). As of 2016, over 200,000 residents and workers use the Path system daily with the number of private dwellings within walking distance at 30,115.

Skybridge may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Footbridge</span> Bridge designed solely for pedestrians

A footbridge is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians. While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a height above the ground", a footbridge can also be a lower structure, such as a boardwalk, that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. Bridges range from stepping stones–possibly the earliest man-made structure to "bridge" water–to elaborate steel structures. Another early bridge would have been simply a fallen tree. In some cases a footbridge can be both functional and artistic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Pedway</span> System of pedestrian tunnels and walkways in Chicago, Illinois, United States

The Chicago Pedway is a network of tunnels, ground-level concourses and bridges in Chicago, Illinois connecting skyscrapers, retail stores, hotels, and train stations throughout the central business district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plus 15</span> Pedestrian skywalk system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

The Plus 15 or +15 is a skyway network in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is the world's most extensive pedestrian skywalk system, with a total length of 16 kilometres and 86 bridges connecting 130 buildings, as of 2022. Calgary often has severe winters and the walkways allow people to get around the city's downtown more quickly and comfortably. The busiest parts of the network saw over 20,000 pedestrians per day in a 2018 count.

A skyway is a suspended covered walkway between buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedway</span> Elevated or underground walkway

Pedways are elevated or underground walkways, often connecting urban high-rises to each other, other buildings, or the street. They provide quick and comfortable movement from building to building, away from traffic and inclement weather. Two of the largest networks of underground walkways are located in Canada, with RÉSO in Montreal and PATH in Toronto each consisting of approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) of underground city-centre walkways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Halifax Link</span> Network of pedways in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

The Downtown Halifax Link system is a network of climate-controlled pedways connecting various office buildings, hotels, parkades, and entertainment venues around downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is similar to Toronto's PATH or Montreal's RÉSO system, but on a much smaller scale. These walkways are all open to the public, and are convenient during inclement weather and the winter months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenway (landscape)</span> Shared-use path or linear park with vegetation

A greenway is usually a shared-use path along a strip of undeveloped land, in an urban or rural area, set aside for recreational use or environmental protection. Greenways are frequently created out of disused railways, canal towpaths, utility company rights of way, or derelict industrial land. Greenways can also be linear parks, and can serve as wildlife corridors. The path's surface may be paved and often serves multiple users: walkers, runners, bicyclists, skaters and hikers. A characteristic of greenways, as defined by the European Greenways Association, is "ease of passage": that is that they have "either low or zero gradient", so that they can be used by all "types of users, including mobility impaired people".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Elevated Walkway</span>

The Central Elevated Walkway is an extensive footbridge network spanning Admiralty, Central and parts of Sheung Wan, near Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong.

A skywalk is a type of pedestrian bridge

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winnipeg Walkway</span> Network of pedestrian skyways and tunnels

The Winnipeg Walkway System, also known as the Winnipeg Skywalk, is a network of pedestrian skyways and tunnels connecting a significant portion of downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmonton Pedway</span> Skyway and pedestrian tunnel network in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

The Edmonton Pedway system is a pedestrian network connecting office buildings, shopping centres, and parkades in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It consists of approximately 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) of year-round climate-controlled tunnels, and walkways between the second floors of buildings, approximately 15 feet (4.6 m) above ground. The main network connects more than 40 buildings and parkades, and three of the five Edmonton Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations in the downtown area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minneapolis Skyway System</span> Pedestrian skyway system in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

The Minneapolis Skyway System is an interlinked collection of enclosed pedestrian footbridges that connect various buildings in 80 full city blocks over 9.5 miles (15.3 km) of Downtown Minneapolis, enabling people to walk in climate-controlled comfort year-round. The skyways are owned by individual buildings in Minneapolis, and as such they do not have uniform opening and closing times. The 9.5 miles of skyway are comparable to the Houston tunnel system, the systems in Canadian cities such as Toronto's PATH, Montreal's Underground City, Calgary's 11-mile +15 system and the 8-mile Edmonton Pedway system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mumbai Skywalk Project</span> Series of skyways

The Mumbai Skywalk Project is a series of pedestrian skyways in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The skywalks connect Mumbai Suburban Railway stations and other high-concentration commercial areas with various destinations. The purpose of the skywalks is efficient dispersal of commuters from congested areas to strategic locations, such as bus stations, taxi stands, shopping areas, etc. and vice versa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Pedestrian Network</span> Pedestrian walkways in Dallas, US

The Dallas Pedestrian Network or Dallas Pedway is a system of grade-separated walkways covering thirty-six city blocks of Downtown Dallas, Texas, United States. The system connects buildings, garages and parks through tunnels and above-ground skybridges. The network contains an underground city of shops, restaurants and offices during weekday business hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of London Pedway Scheme</span> Network of pedestrian skywalks and passageways in London, England, United Kingdom

The City of London Pedway Scheme is a largely elevated pedway network that evolved out of a plan to transform traffic flows in the City of London by separating pedestrians from street level traffic using elevated walkways. First devised as part of the post World War II reconstruction plans for London, it was put into effect mainly from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, and had been largely mothballed by the 1980s. The scheme was partially revived in 2017 when a new section of walkway was added as part of a development in London Wall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cincinnati Skywalk</span>

The Cincinnati Skywalk was a series of walkways, primarily indoors and elevated, that allowed pedestrians to traverse downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.

References

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