American downtown pedestrian ‘malls’: rise, fall, and rebirth - The article provides an historical overview of urban planning practice and theory related to downtown pedestrian zones or ‘malls’ in the United States from the 1960s to present day taking into account social, economic, and design issues. It also attempts to explain why most pedestrian zones fail in the United States and to outline the strategies that have been employed by cities with successful downtown pedestrian malls. As interest in planning for pedestrians and alternative transportation modes has recently revived in the United States, such study might be particularly valuable.