Far more than drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are sensitive to how far they have to travel to get where they're going. This is why a connected street grid is critical. Without easy, direct connections, travel distances grow, train stations and bus lines are harder to reach and driving becomes the only option. In the most egregious example in Norwalk, a Winding Ln resident would have to walk a whopping 2 miles (40 minutes) to visit their next-door neighbor on Bow End Rd.
Recent research backs up the negative impact of these missing connections. Residents in neighborhoods with connected street grids drive 26% fewer miles, have lower body mass and endure less pollution.
Major gaps in Norwalk's street grid are visualized as red walls below.
View Missing connectivity in a larger map
Especially in post-war neighborhoods, Norwalkers endure serious connectivity challenges. One of the city's priorities as we look for ways to live healthier and mitigate congestion should be reconnecting the city.
I agree with the need to add these connections, but I'm concerned that adding car connections will just lead to more driving. I'd want bike-pedestrian connections only. The old shortcuts that kids knew about have been gradually fenced in.
ReplyDeleteI think bike/ped connections are the most feasible as well...Nobody wants to take the space for a whole road, but we could probably get some walkways built.
ReplyDeleteDo you know of any paths that used to be there but are gone now?
Just found an even worse disconnection in Stamford: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Lynam+Rd&daddr=41.119097,-73.560376&hl=en&geocode=FQtucwIdtYed-w%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=15&dirflg=w&sll=41.118676,-73.557158&sspn=0.028936,0.066047&ie=UTF8&ll=41.111046,-73.56411&spn=0.028939,0.066047&z=15
ReplyDeleteIt takes 1 hour 7 minutes for a Lyman Rd resident to walk to their next-door neighbor on Red Fox Rd.