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The third point of the modified grid pattern is the use of arterial streets I call parkways. A north-south parkway is found
at each end of Village Drive in the TEN BLOCK VILLAGE PLAN. Motorists use a Parkway to get to the other villages in the community,
to the central business district, and to any regional shopping areas that may exist. All Parkways and Village Drives are
laid out in a modified grid pattern for maximum efficiency in moving traffic throughout the entire community.
Projects with a low population density may only need two- or three-lane Parkways. High-density projects may need four-lane
divided boulevards with center turning lanes. The landscaped, high-speed parkways would not have any private driveways --
the only cross traffic would be at the intersections with the Village Drives and the avenues in the central business district.
While the proper size of a village will vary between one planner and another, it would be desirable to have distances
of one mile between the Village Drive intersections on the parkways. Each parkway allows for a fast, straight commute to
the central business district from each and every village in the PLAN. A speed limit of 40 to 50 mph (60 to 80 kph) would
be appropriate.
ROUNDABOUTS
Roundabouts may be a useful alternative to using "T" intersections where the Parkways meets Village Drive.
Roundabouts are an attractive and effective way to control traffic at intersections without using traffic signals or stop
signs. Traditional intersections with large traffic signal arrays are not only unattractive, they are also expensive to install
and maintain.
I believe that motorists would prefer having less mandatory stops when driving. During low traffic periods the cars at
a roundabout do not have to stop at all as they pass through an intersection. During heavy traffic some motorists may have
to yield the right of way briefly as they prepare to enter the roundabout, but no one is stopped for very long.
Roundabouts USA
A roundabout, by its design, will force speeders to slow down as they pass through the intersection. Because the vehicles
must slow down, a roundabout will have less collisions than a traditional intersection. When collisions do occur, they are
typically less severe than the high-speed collisions that occur at traffic signals.
Pedestrians will feel safer crossing an intersection with a roundabout for two reasons: First, the motor vehicles are
moving slower. Second, a roundabout has "islands of safety" available for pedestrians to wait for traffic to clear.
Roundabouts could also be used on Village Drive where it intersects the non-residential north-south street near the center
of each village.
PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES
The well-landscaped Greenbelt Trails in the TEN BLOCK VILLAGE PLAN follow the perimeter of each village. The north-south
sections of the Trails parallel the Parkways and serve in the place of sidewalks. Those Trails provide a safe route for pedestrians
and bicyclists between the villages and the Central Business District. The only motor traffic to cross the Trails is at the
intersections with the Village Drives spaced ten blocks apart.
The east-west sections of the Trails are located near each cul-de-sac in a village. The Trails provide a quieter, more
scenic path between the homes and the amenities near the center of the Village than the bike lanes on the Village Drives.
The huge master planned communities of Kingwood, Texas and Irvine, California have many miles of attractive trails. Some
trails pass under their four-lane boulevards via pedestrian tunnels or over their boulevards via pedestrian bridges.
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| Irvine, California |
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