Forget your umbrella and boots? No problem
Making your way through a futuristic tunnel or walking high above the ground in an enclosed walkway sounds like something out of science fiction, but these tunnels and skywalks are just a simple acknowledgement that weather can be complicated.
These enclosures are usually built to keep people comfortable despite the outside temperature. The most expansive climate-controlled pedestrian networks are in places with cold winters, like Calgary, or hot summers, like Houston. Most are located in downtown areas where workers welcome the chance to grab lunch without donning thermal underwear or arriving at an appointment without having to change a sweat-soaked shirt. This is a segment of Toronto's PATH system above.
Check out these cities where you can walk long distances without going outside.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul Skyways
Both of the downtown districts of the Twin Cities have skyway systems. They consist of a network of enclosed pedestrian bridges that connect buildings, which are open to the public on the "skyway level." The Minneapolis Skyway stretches for more than nine miles. Though it's mainly used by people working downtown, the Skyway is open on the weekend for convention-goers, sports fans and diners. Saint Paul’s Skyway, which is five miles long in total, is open from 6 a.m. to midnight daily.
Both these Minnesota cities are known for their cold winters, so the covered, climate-controlled bridges allow people to move through downtown without having to bundle up. There are even apartment complexes connected to the Skyway, so downtown dwellers never have to go outside if they don’t want to. Meanwhile, the campus of the University of Minnesota has about six miles of tunnels and interior walkways that help students and staff move from building to building without going outside.
Chicago Pedway
Chicago is another Midwestern city that has taken steps to make wintertime walking more pleasant. The Chicago Pedway stretches underground for about five miles through the city’s downtown core. The system began in the 1950s as a way for people to walk between different subway lines without going outside. It has expanded over the decades and now connects many of the buildings in the Loop area.
Though the Pedway keeps people out of the elements during the notorious Chicago winters, users complain about issues like inconsistent signage, the fact that some tunnels don't actually connect to the main network, and a seeming lack of security in some areas. High traffic tunnels generally have signage, however, and there are various maps and apps to help people unfamiliar with the network.
Houston's downtown tunnels
Begun nearly 90 years ago, Houston’s tunnel network has expanded over the decades and now connects 90-plus city blocks with passageways that stretch for about seven miles through the downtown area. Most of the tunnels are 20 feet below the surface, and some are connected to above-ground skywalks that run between buildings. Pedestrians can access the tunnel network by using escalators, elevators and stairways at street level. Most of these access points are inside buildings.
Unfortunately for night owls, this isn't a 24-hour system. Most of the tunnels are open only from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The passageways do, however, include businesses such as restaurants, banks, newsstands, barber shops and business services like copy centers. Most major buildings in downtown Houston are open to the public at the tunnel level, and the city has an interactive map to help those who are unfamiliar with the network find their way.
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