Grid-Shaped Street Network or Haphazard Street Network?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Of course, you sir, Mr. ScranBerre have no clue what I'm talking about since you have never been west of the Missisippi River your whole life.

Why is it that you always have to address me in your posts with some sort of back-handed comment?

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Why is it that you always have to address me in your posts with some sort of back-handed comment?

I'll admit I can be a little mean at times, especially on the internet when you don't see the person you're responding to face to face. It was sort of my way at getting backatchya after some of your recent posts when you were totally bashing Phoenix even though you've never been there. Whereas in this post I was trying to explain how Phoenix "works." My point is suburbs come in many different shapes and sizes and differ a little bit between regions.

BTW, the problem you illustrated here with people in the neighborhood not having access to the nearby school isn't really an issue about grid streets vs "haphazard" streets. It's an issue about easements. The developer/city/county could have put in some kind of pedestrian path connecting the school with the neighborhood, but chose not to. I've seen a number of neighborhoods in suburban Denver that also have squiggly maze-like streets, just like the aerial shot you have pictured, but also have a little pedestrian/bike trail connecting into the school behind the neighborhood. I've also seen neighborhoods that were originally designed as grid networks with seemless connections between streets, but at some point in time many of the roads connecting to the arterial streets were closed and walled off, creating much the same effect as if they were designed "squiggly" to begin with.

Suburban subdivisions in the west also tend to be much physically larger than your typical subdivision in the northeast, and as a result tend to be planned better. Part of the appeal of "master planned communities" is amenities like bike/running trails, sidewalks, parks, open space, community centers/recreation centers, schools, and even retail centers are all designed in tandem with one another to make everything more pleasant. A great example of this is Highlands Ranch, CO (look it up and you'll see what I mean). I'm not saying you would like to live there, but if you did, you at least wouldn't have the problem of getting run over just when you want to go jogging.

[Colts]

I much more prefer a grid. It's faster, easier to navigate, and "cleaner".

[coldwine]

I vote grid. It's part of a basic approach to civilization as much as the toilet is.

I despise trying to get around cities without grids. Most of the Southern states have those tangly, irritating streets. You have no idea where you're going and streets don't actually intersect, so you have all sorts of bizarre "drives" and "avenues" which don't actually act as such.

How many Pohick roads does NoVA really need?

[Happy Cells]

Grids are easier and cheaper to build, easier to maintain, use less resources and can be made almost any size. (lots)
It is easier to navigate in grids. Grids provide better routes for mass transit, better views. (along main boulevards and avenues)

[houstoner]

Grids, but I don't mind some haphazard streets like winding roads. But overall, I'd go with the grid. It's just easier.