Should Monroe Center Return To Being A Pedestrian-Only Street?

Perhaps one of the best things that has come from the pandemic has been Downtown Grand Rapids' expansive outdoor seating that has become part of the Grand Rapids ecosystem. The space in the roads that seating areas now take up has not drastically changed how traffic flows and the emphasis on being outside has encouraged more people to be Downtown.

The road that has seen the most impact from this has been Monroe Center St., the street that runs from Monroe Ave/Pearl St. to Division Ave. The unofficial "main street" of Grand Rapids due to its proximity to the many shops, restaurants, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, and, of course, Rosa Parks Circle.

But did you know that this street was originally built exclusively for walking, and the first car didn't drive on it until 1997? Taking inspiration from Kalamazoo, Monroe Center was planned to be a pedestrian mall in the heart of the city, but after its completion, the area wasn't getting as much business as it hoped. The mall was reportedly a popular place for downtown workers to eat lunch but had few shoppers which led to many stores opening and quickly closing, ultimately leading the city to change tactics and allow traffic on the street.

However, now that a redesign of the alleyway nearest Van Andel Arena has been announced to turn it into a walking path, it may be time to return Monroe Center to its original plan. The downtown walking population is far more popular than it was back in the 80s and 90s as indicated by this overhaul. The traffic on Monroe Center is minimal as it is, with chunks of the parking being blocked for outdoor eating. Why not just fully embrace the arrangement?

What do you all think? Would you like to see the street made pedestrian-only, do you think things are fine as it is, or do you want the street fully opened back up like it was pre-COVID?