The changing look of city sidewalks
Around the world, cities are experimenting with new sidewalk designs in hopes of making them more efficient and attractive
Shoppers make last minute purchases on Oxford Street, London's main shopping street. Earlier this year, a group of businesses introduced a "shoppers lane" along Oxford in order to encourage tourists to stay out of the way of locals.LUKE MACGREGOR
Shoppers make their way along Oxford Street on December 23, 2006 in London, England. With just two days to go before Christmas, the streets are busy with people as they are finishing their last-minute Christmas shopping.Scott Barbour
Pedestrians navigate snow covered sidewalks and intersections in downtown Montreal. The city announced earlier this month that it will deploy quick reaction snow-clearing brigades to help keep foot traffic moving.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
In this photo taken Dec. 10, 2009, San Francisco police officer Murray Daggs talks with a man who identified himself as "James," a homeless panhandler in downtown San Francisco. The spokesman for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday, June 9, 2010 the mayor plans to place a proposal to make sitting or lying on city sidewalks illegal on the November ballot.Russel A. Daniels
Two tourists stand on a sidewalk along Fifth Avenue in New York City May 20, 2010, where an anonymous artist had painted a white line and the words "New Yorkers" and "Tourists" in an attempt to divide pedestrian lanes between locals and visitors.© Mike Segar / Reuters
Toronto's Bloor Street recently underwent a complete transformation, where sidwalks were widened, and trees and street furniture added.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
People walk along the new sidewalks and past new planters on Bloor Street between Avenue Road and Bay Street in Toronto.Della Rollins