Creation of pedestrian streets in city centers

This paper contains a brief history of pedestrian streets in centrol areas of Japanese cities, and it details future plans for pedestrianization of the Negano city center. Japan has utilized three methods for conversion of streets into pedestrian streets: traffic ban, which entails prohibition of traffic during certain periods of the day from streets that have heavy pedestrian traffic; underground shopping centers; and arcaded shopping streets, which are roofed shopping streets that are continuously free from traffic except for use by service vehicles during peak hours. The plan for pedestrianization of the Negano City Center is based upon the West German concept of traffic cells. This concept consists of a city center, not more than 1 sq. km., surrounded by a ring road in order to receive the in-city-oriented traffic. At the same time the city center is divided into four sectors by cross-shaped pedestrian streets, each of which is called a traffic cell. As a result, through traffic is eliminated from the city center and only those vehicles that have their destination in that cell enter the cell. Parking areas must be provided for those vehicles in each cell. The pedestrian streets divide traffic cells and provide safe, attractive, and convenient areas for pedestrians.