Tired of kowtowing to cars? Pedestrianization might be the way to go. We can start in SoHo. By Winnie Yeung and John Robertson

We love SoHo, but sometimes it stinks. No, there is nothing wrong with the businesses there – it’s a great spot for a nice meal, a summer dress or a drink with friends. But sometimes walking in the area, especially on Staunton and Elgin Streets, is like walking through a parking lot, considering all the taxis and fume-spewing trucks you have to dodge. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Pedestrianizing Hong Kong
Wouldn’t it be nicer if SoHo were car-free? Since 2000, the government has been working on a citywide pedestrianization project, aimed at improving sidewalks around Hong Kong and pedestrianizing some highly populated areas. High-profile examples include Paterson Street in Causeway Bay and Sai Yeung Choi Street in Mongkok, the latter of which has since become a frequent venue for street events (turn to p.9 for a complete list of pedestrianized areas). So why not SoHo? 

The benefits of SoHo
SoHo was never planned as a pedestrian area – for decades it was just grocery stores and old people. The sidewalks were made narrow, leaving plenty of room for vehicular traffic. But with SoHo's boom in the past decade, pedestrian traffic has increased massively, spilling off the sidewalks and into the line of vehicles.

The idea of pedestrianizating SoHo has been floating around for years. Simon Squibb, the man behind the “I Love SoHo” campaign, which represents more than 60 businesses in the area, says 85 percent of his clients say yes to the idea. It would:

Eliminate the danger
Right now, most of the sidewalks are only about two feet wide (it’s nearly impossible to walk side-by-side in many parts), often forcing pedestrians to walk in the streets. Squibb says many businesses are concerned that the safety of their customers is affected. The Transport Department says they have no data on the traffic flow in the area, but they do have one figure – in 2005, 4,404 pedestrians were injured or killed in traffic accidents in all of Hong Kong. Why risk it?

Improve the environment
Urban planner Peter Cookson Smith, who has helped the government in many pedestrianization projects, gives a simple explanation for this benefit: “Streets in SoHo look hideous right now.” Bobsy, the single-named owner of Life Cafe on Peel Street, agrees that pedestrianizing SoHo would make the area more pleasant. “Pedestrianization is the best way to achieve a more eco-friendly lifestyle in SoHo,” he says.

Encourage walking
“Most people don’t go to SoHo by car anyway,” says Smith. Katty Law, a member of the Central and Western Concern Group, says she and her friends living in SoHo support the idea of pedestrianization. They think the lack of public transport (taxis) at certain times would not be too inconvenient.

Create a more pleasant dining environment
Most people come to SoHo for a nice meal, but sitting less than three feet from fuming diesel trucks is hardly pleasant. Squibb says one major benefit of pedestrianization is that it would provide an environment for alfresco dining. He cites the example of the SoHo Street Festival, which took place about two years ago. They managed to divert traffic for the festival, lining the streets with tables. “It showed how much people really enjoy eating outdoors in SoHo,” he says.

Preserve the area’s character
SoHo has a special vibe – an old neighborhood mingling with a booming dining scene. “Even the Tourism Board is promoting SoHo now,” says Squibb. But Law believes if the traffic flow remains as it is now, redevelopment will soon happen in the area. High-rise residential buildings have already been built nearby and SoHo might be next.

The government is not actively working on pedestrianizing SoHo, but the Transport Department has implemented on Staunton and Elgin Streets such “traffic-calming measures” as installing more traffic signs. They say there are no current plans to pedestrianize the area in the strictest sense – that is, a plan to limit incoming traffic. 

Well, the government might not have any plans, but we do. We believe Staunton and Elgin Streets could and should be pedestrianized. Turn the page for HK’s proposal.