Covered Walkways

When the Romans built their military based towns they included a mandate that building owners must build a covered walk in front of their building on the street side. When all the land in a block had been filled with buildings, and covered walks were there, one could walk down the sidewalk in the shade.

Here in Maine a similar law would help create wonderful spaces and protect us from the snow and rain, to say nothing about less shoveling! In Stockholm's Gamla Stan historic district, there are some wonderful nordic classicism buildings with covered walkways which make strolling in winter a pleasure.

If you like Exchange Street in Portland or Main Street in Bangor, imagine them with continuous covered walkways!