There is some evidence/belief that increased foot traffic actually improves crime rates. I'm certainly not saying it's a magic bullet, but there's at least some hope that if these types of changes were introduced it would actually directly decrease crime. I don't have a source handy, but the concept is that the more eyes on the street the less willing people are to commit crimes. I think the exception is that some kinds of petty theft can increase with more people (pickpocketing for instance because more targets).