Fayetteville, Arkansas is considering an ordinance that would force developers to request a variance to the city's code to build a cul-de-sac. The city wants to encourage a traditional grid system to ease congestion. Grid systems provide better utilization of our public works infrastructure (every paved road we build can physically accommodate more than 1000 vehicles per day, it is pretty inefficient to put only 50 vehicles on it). Cul-de-sac style developments are also a strong impediment to walking and bicycling. Grid systems make it
a lot easier to bike from point A to point B. As someone who grew up on the grid system in Minneapolis riding my bike, it always struck me as a little odd that people hop in their car to drive to a trail system to go bicycling (in the same manner as taking the elevator in the health club to get to the stairmaster machine).
I personally like having the options provided by living on the grid system in St. Louis Park, but I also understand the desire to live on a street with very little traffic. I think St. Cloud, Minnesota has struck a good balance. They have a policy that states, "curvilinear street design and extensive use of private drives that have the potential to create confusion for service providers and the general public should be carefully reviewed. Street configuration should maintain a logical pattern."
