Editing Central–Mid-Levels escalator (section)

==Description==
[[File:CentralMidLevelsEscalatorAndWalkwaySystem en zh.png|thumb|Schematic diagram of the system]]

===Route===
The escalators exist because [[Hong Kong Island]] is dominated by steep, hilly terrain, which makes it the home of several unusual methods of transport up and down the slopes. The Central–Mid-Levels escalator system was featured on the CNN website as one of the "coolest commutes" in the world in March 2015.<ref name="coolestcommute">{{cite news|last1=Hinson|first1=Tamara|title=7 of the world's coolest commutes|url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-coolest-commutes/index.html|publisher=CNN|date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

It links [[Queen's Road Central]] in [[Central, Hong Kong|Central]] with [[Conduit Road]] in the [[Mid-Levels]], travelling primarily up Cochrane Street and Shelley Street.<ref name="plananddesign"/> At Queen's Road Central, the Central–Mid-Levels escalators system is connected through [[Central Market, Hong Kong|Central Market]] to the [[Central Elevated Walkway]], an extensive [[footbridge]] network covering the Central area.

The escalator system is {{convert|800|m|ft|abbr=on}} long with a vertical climb of {{convert|135|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name="plananddesign"/> The total travel time is twenty minutes, but many people walk while the escalator moves to shorten their trip.<ref name="plananddesign"/> Due to the geographical situation, the same distance is equivalent to several miles of zigzagging roads if travelling by car. According to [[Guinness World Records]], these escalators together form the longest outdoor covered escalator system.<ref name="scmpstairway">{{cite news|title=Stairway to urban heaven|url=http://www.scmp.com/article/973137/stairway-urban-heaven|work=South China Morning Post|date=11 July 2011}}</ref>

===Design===
The system includes 18 escalators and three inclined [[moving walkway]]s.<ref name="ICEE"/> Due to the complex terrain, parts of the system run on elevated concrete structures, while other sections sit at ground level.<ref name="plananddesign"/>

The moving walkways have a tread width of one metre (3.28 feet), allowing faster pedestrians to pass slower users.<ref name="plananddesign"/> In line with Hong Kong [[escalator etiquette]], slower or idle users generally keep to the right. The three walkways have inclines of 8.1°, 11.9° and 11.7°. Eleven of the escalators have a typical 30° incline, while the remaining seven have a non-standard 17.5° incline.<ref name="ICEE"/>

All the walkways (except for at-grade road crossings) are covered to protect users from the rain, although the sides are open to the elements. The roofing structure was designed to be visually attractive, and incorporates translucent polycarbonate to allow sunlight to illuminate the walkways.<ref name="plananddesign"/>