Comments on: Killing the dead end

By: Modern Land Run

Modern Land Run — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:43:24 +0000

The Death of Kickball…

Dustbury provides point, counterpoint on the ensuing debate regarding the pros and cons of cul-de-sacs, as precipitated by a the state of Virginia's placing of restrictions on future developments' use of the iconic suburban element. B…

By: imagiNATIVEamerica

imagiNATIVEamerica — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:59:56 +0000

Daily Links…

And they probably won’t, since neighborhoods fear additional traffic, especially if it’s above the speed limit and/or involves people who Don’t Live Here. (tags: dustbury)…

By: CGHill

CGHill — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:17:17 +0000

I do recall exactly one instance when the traffic signal where my street meets a major arterial was down, and traffic was backed up just over a block, to within 50 feet or so of my driveway. But that’s one instance in (so far) five and a half years.

My post-WWII neighborhood is on the grid, mostly, though only two streets, mine included, connect to that arterial; the space between them is taken up by a narrow strip of parkland.

By: BatesLine

BatesLine — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:47:14 +0000

Connectivity and cul-de-sacs…

Charles G. Hill has brought together two interesting items about cul-de-sacs, those dead end streets often hailed as the acme of suburban living….

By: fillyjonk

fillyjonk — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:13:06 +0000

The problem with through streets, (seeing as I live on one), is that unless you put in stop signs or other sorts of “traffic calming devices*” people will use it as a raceway of sorts. I’ve witnessed (and even called in) a few accidents that have happened at the intersection near my house.

Hallowe’en is scary – little kids running around excitedly and idiots who don’t realize there are KIDS ON THE STREET still driving 15-20 miles above the speed limit because they feel like they can.

(*And I know someone with severe arthritis for whom going over speed bumps, even very slowly, in a car, is agonizing. So there are unintended consequences of “traffic calming”)

I don’t know, some days the “cabin in the woods” looks more and more attractive.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:48:14 +0000

Contrarian’s right about the consequences of cul-de-sac developments outside the development — that’s exactly the kind of thing we endure hereabouts, and being on a cul-de-sac within a cul-de-sac development off a dead-end road whose only access to anywhere else is an overstressed two-lane state highway, we are aware every day of the trade-off for the quietude and relative safety we enjoy back here.

Still, in any major metro area in this country, I’m afraid I’d go for that trade-off. I’d need to be in some little town 500 miles from anything even half the size of Atlanta before I’d consider the alternative.