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They're two story and I'd bet the first floor is 1500 sqft and the second story at least 1000 sqft. Figure they're probably fitting a living room, small entry, dining room, large kitchen, laundry room, and a half bath on just the first floor alone, and maybe even a guest bed and bath. Upstairs would have at least 3 more bedrooms, a full bath, and a master suite as well.
Do we know where this is?
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Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man
What's the escape route out of there? What's your alternative if it's blocked?
Same as if you lived on a dead end street in "the city". I agree that's a concern.
Last edited by Katarina Witt; 08-01-2018 at 07:25 PM..
They are a nuisance. Some villages outlaw them because of the snow removal issues. Yet the City of Chicago has created more of them, in existing neighborhoods.
Although I didn't hear the term "cul de sac" until years later as an adult, my family lived directly across from one when I was a kid. There were three altogether along our short road, and each one had around 5 houses. We called them "the courts" or individually by their official names (X Court, Y Court and Z Circle, which of course, was probably the least circular-shaped of the three).
Near where we live now, I can think of only one cul de sac in the area. It's more like a regular dead-end street with at least 12-16 houses lining both sides. Then at the end, the road widens out into a circle-like shape with a little grassy "island" (with its tree) at the center of the circle-ish section. I always thought that would be a nice safe place to live with young children, since there's really no way to drive fast back there.
Back when my kids were young, I would encourage guests to drive very slowly near our home simply by living at the end of a long dirt driveway which we did not maintain very well. Season to season, it constantly developed deep potholes, sudden big cracks, new stream-bed fissures channeling water over or along the driveway, among other textural irregularities. As a result the entire driveway was like a long, unpredictable series of speed bumps (or "speed humps" if any Arizonans are reading). Everyone drove at a slow crawl speed on that driveway, because they didn't want their car to bottom out, or get flat tires, have parts of the exhaust breaking off, etc.
Though it's not for me, I can see the appeal. I think that front porches and plenty of walkable local "institutions" are better for community building (parks, pools, sports facilities, playgrounds, schools, library, coffee shop, neighborhood bar, etc.) .
So you think that cul de sac houses aren't allowed to have front porches or to be near such local "institutions"? You don't have much experience with them, do you?
It's funny how two people with the same goal of safety can come to completely different, yet equally valid conclusions. Cul-de-sacs are usually found in the most car centric suburbs and exurbs. I'd much rather live in a less car centric place and limit the amount of time my family and I are spending in vehicles. Car accidents are the number one cause of death in kids.
I view safety in and around the yard and residential streets as something kids have much more control over. You can teach them to look before crossing or not to chase after a rolling ball. There's nothing a kid sitting in a car can do to avoid an accident.
In other words, pave over the country with multi-family housing and no lawns but you avoid the dreaded car! Sorry, I cared more about my kids quality of life (as well as my grandson's) than to jump on that bandwagon.
And if you think you can reliably train the most intelligent, pliable kid to never ever violate safety regulations, you clearly haven't raised more than one child.
Lots of cars there, too. And cars can get going pretty fast on straight streets that go on for blocks.
As a Pakistani cab driver once told me, "Street is for drive."
Kids are supposed to look both ways before they cross and not play in the street. There are plenty of playlots, back yards, etc. in Chicago where the photo was taken.
I don't know how we all got by without cul-de-sacs, play dates, helicopter parenting, and all that. Our urban parents and grandparents must have not had any fun at all!
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As a result the entire driveway was like a long, unpredictable series of speed bumps (or "speed humps" if any Arizonans are reading). Everyone drove at a slow crawl speed on that driveway, because they didn't want their car to bottom out, or get flat tires, have parts of the exhaust breaking off, etc.
