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January 04, 2010

Comments

Michael Horne

A ridiculous waste of geometry. There are better ways to use 70 acres. You can't build an economically and socially sustainable community on three dwelling units per acre.

John Michlig

Frankly, it's getting harder and harder to discern any argument coming from these guys other than "it's our God-given right to drive fast and often."

jill

I find it amazing that anyone would think curved streets are made for speed, these are obviously not the same radii as a nascar oval and if anything, curves like this will generally slow vehicular traffic instead of increase it. Why else would they make drag strips straight? You may not like the density, but you are DEAD WRONG on the safety provided by curevd streets as laid out there.

John Michlig

A) Though not relevant to our discussion: How much would you be willing to give me, cash-wise, for each suburban curve that I locate and measure which matches the unbanked radius of one or more sanctioned NASCAR tracks?

Hint: You can't afford it.

B) Wide, straight streets = BAD. But, even worse are curvilinear street designs where right-angle turns are avoided in favor of acceleration-friendly curves that make residential areas speedways, and cause drivers to scowl at pedestrians and bikers who have the nerve to be on "their" streets.

These curves increase the design speed (the speed at which a driver feels comfortable driving) of residential roads to deadly levels. Studies show that pedestrian fatalities rise enormously with small increments of speed:
20mph - 5% fatality
30mph - 45% fatality
40mph - 85% fatality

So, a suburban curve-type turn has a design speed of 30-35mph (and, believe me, the drivers use every bit of it), and a traditional right-angle turn on a narrow, grid-type road has a design speed of 5-10mph.

Where do you want a loved one to be crossing on foot?

Of course, if you're in a hurry to arrive at your vital destination a whopping 45 seconds earlier, all of the above is moot.

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