Originally Posted by tacomee
Older cities with the traditional square grid are better than new development where huge housing projects and mega shopping complexs are served by 4+ lane roads where cars over 40 mph. Cycling really is tailored to for backstreets, trails, service roads, residental streets-- Here in Tacoma it's possible to take dirt single track though the railway tracks that cut apart the neighborhoods and pop up in totally different section of town. Living on a cul de sac that dumps only on to a traffic filled *commuter freeway* makes it harder to ride.
Amen to that. There is no doubt that a traditional street grid is best for cyclists and pedestrians. Cul-de-sacs, collector streets, and multi-lane, high speed streamform arterials ("automobile sewers" in Andres Duany's memorable phrase) are inconvenient and unsafe. Ironically, that miserable form of development normally ends up being just as dysfunctional for cars. It increases point to point driving distance, promotes congestion, and leaves everyone irritable and impatient.