Gågade, The Danish Pedestrian Shopping Street

Abstract

Since 1962 virtually every Danish town has converted its major downtown shopping street into a pedestrian thoroughfare known as a gågade (walking street). The gågader have been successful at relieving traffic congestion; stabilizing inner city retail sales; encouraging the pedestrian activity of women, children, and the elderly; and increasing public appreciation of the historic urban architecture of the pre-automobile age. Supporters of the pedestrian concept are eager to expand the gågader to residential areas outside the inner city commercial core, but rising opposition from motorists, as well as practical limitations, have hindered a further transfer of street space from automobile to pedestrian use.