(05-15-2015, 03:55 PM)Coke6pk Wrote: IMO pedestrian bridges are a waste of money. The bridge over University Ave at UW is a great example of a needed bridge, that is rarely used. Then, since the kids cross the road anyway, the city has to add pedestrian crossing signals.
The University bridge is an excellent example of a terrible pedestrian bridge. On one end, it's 50m out of the way. On the other, it feeds you into a fairly confusing level of the Engineering campus. Not to mention that there are few destinations on that level, with most things requiring you to climb back down the stairs, which were a long climb up in the first place.
Put them where people want them, and connect them to where they want to go, and people will absolutely take them instead of waiting at a traffic light. In Toronto, if I miss the walk signal for University Ave, I'll go through the subway underpass, because it's right there, isn't a long staircase, and saves a few minutes of waiting for the light to change.
I bet if you put in a ramp up to the University Ave bridge, that started at the railway crossing and trail, you'd see people take it more, because at least the bridge would feel closer. But frankly, traffic on University really isn't that bad, and it's easy to cross.