Girard can be super-calmed, but it shouldn't be pedestrian only. It provides access from westbound Lagoon to the Calhoun Square ramp without having to circulate through the already congested Henn-Lake intersection, and provides access from eastbound Lake to the Mozaic ramp without additional circulation.
While this is true, I pass this intersection a lot and really don't see that piece of Girard used very much. I think it might be for lack of signage but either way, traffic count on that piece of Girard must be relatively low. I don't think it would be the end of the world to get rid of it.
Rats, very true. I really really liked the thought of shutting down Girard to provide a pedestrian thoroughfare and huge green space. I think the building housing Stella's also uses Girard for freight deliveries.
That's their problem. I don't see why they couldn't use the McDonald's parking lot instead. I hate delivery trucks blocking streets.
Expanding on the idea of removing the driving lanes on Girard and converting to a pedestrian walkway... This would be a very good place to put in an elevated crosswalk on Lagoon to calm traffic. I'd keep the light there so traffic stops on a regular basis to allow pedestrian flow.
Expanding on that thought... Mine get kind of crazy sometimes... What about an elevated platform fully covering Girard stretching from the north side of Lagoon to south of Lake. It could make second floor connections at the theater, at Calhoun Square, the two buildings between them, and maybe a future hotel next to Calhoun Square. Throw in lots of green, outdoor seating at Stella's, Libertine, Scena, coup d'etat, etc, some public outdoor seating, and maybe a small outdoor performance area and you could have a pretty vibrant happening platform above street level. It'd certainly make Girard and part of Lake & Lagoon darker but that might simply just be presenting an opportunity for some cool darker store fronts with lots of neon signage.
A little crazy, but...
I agree it's a little crazy and will probably never happen but if done right, I think it could be really great. It could even be done as part of the 29th Street Reconstruction?