[ColleenShaver]

I got the impression that moving traffic to the sidewalks wasn't the point...

I think the point was that you take an urban center.. a downtown street that is jammed packed with car traffic and people traffic.. no places to park and pedesrtians having to wait to cross streets etc.. and you take out all the cars.. i.e. make the streets big giant sidewalks..

It's trying to do what subway and trolley systems but for shortened distances.. (you wouldn't travel all across boston in it..)

We don't necessarily see it here (maybe LA or other really large cities), but there are major pollution problems from tons of traffic in the stop-and-go cities...

It would be like saying you can't drive in Newbury street, Copley, down by the Prudential, or Downtown Boston.. but you can use your no-emissions vechiles to travel..