LDS Church Finally Answers Question Regarding Controversial Skybridge March 24th, 2008
Bishop Burton, presiding Bishop for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, grants UtahStories.com a question regarding the City Creek Center Skybridge
After Bishop Burton completed his presentation before the Salt Lake City Council, he granted Utah Stories one question regarding City Creek Center skybridge. This comes after one year of requests by Utah Stories to have a sit-down interview regarding the questions surrounding the City Creek Center Project.
Throughout the entire presentation Bishop Burton was referring to the skybridge as a "pedestrian walkway". If I had were able to ask two questions I would of asked why the change in terminology. Are we to believe that because they now call it a "pedestrian walkway" we shouldn't compare it to all of the failed downtown skybridge projects across the United States?
What ever the reasoning, Burton could have easily once again dodged the scrutiny and walked past us as we pointed our camera at him. Instead, he had the courage to answer, which is more than I can say for Dale Bills, Public Relations Manager for CCRI, who has consistently flat out refused interviews.
Here is the interview, in video format. The audio quality is poor so we have provided subtitles and a transcript.
Utah Stories: [introduction] Bishop Burton, I was wondering if you might answer just one question regarding the skybridge.
Burton: I'm not sure if I can answer one question but go ahead.
Utah Stories: My question is: Kathleen J. Hill, are you familiar with her?
Burton: No I'm not.
Utah Stories: She prepared a 40 page report about how skybridges, in complex urban environments, not in other settings, but in complex urban environments typically are a real detriment to the existing retail on the street. If you are not familiar with that report, are you familiar with that point? And what is your answer to that?
Burton: Well, we've got to define the area. We've got elevation problems: 47 feet to deal with in terms of the ups and downs. And then you have to have enough of your critical mass to make it work. So um...taking all of that into consideration, we are forced to look at that second level.
Utah Stories: So where skybridges have failed in the past in complex urban environments; don't you see that...history being significant?
Burton: Oh, it's significant; we've got a history across the country. Lots of communities have tried them. But not in the same kind of situation you've got here, when you couple it with the residential component, the office component; the reduced retail, with the elevations and all of that. You have to look at other ways to facilitate the project. Not easy.
Utah Stories: Thank you Sir.
Lets try to disseminate Burtons argument. Burton says that because there are 47 feet of elevation changes, they were required to have a second level of retail. I'm not an architect, but I don't see any reason why elevation changes make a second level of retail more necessary. If the elevation changes are the result of a fault line, then wouldn't a second level with pedestrian bridges throughout the project make the mall more dangerous?
Burton also says that this situation is different than the failures across the country. Burton claims that because the City Creek Center couples--retail, office and residential space that this is a unique scenario. I think that Burton is misinformed if he believes that Pittsburgh or Minnesota skybridges didn't also have that mix.
The Hidden Agenda Behind the Skybridge
A bridge is useful for connecting two points over an area that would otherwise be dangerous or difficult to cross. When State Street near Murray High School was proving too unsafe as a student crosswalk, the city installed a bridge. This bridge has resulted in a huge decline in auto pedestrian accidents. However, now because the bridge is there, traffic speeds along even faster, and crossing on street level is next to impossible. But the net result is a safer crossing for pedestrians and motorists. When skybridges have been installed over streets that are not dangerous, however, the bridge creates the perception that the area underneath is to be avoided. It's a psychological effect that goes along with placing a bridge over any area. The result is that when motorists see a pedestrian bridge, they believe they no longer need to look out for people crossing at street level. Conversely, pedestrians see the bridge and believe the street must be dangerous to cross. Therefore, if they are on bridge level, they will stay up and if they are down on the street, they will be more inclined to get on the bridge to cross. Two scenarios which are advantageous to the Taubman Company shareholders, and disadvantageous to Main Street and the local merchants who reside there. Main Street should never be perceived as dangerous. Main Street should be inviting and operate as a safe community gathering area.
