Virginia's Street Connectivity Policy--an overview | Congress for New Urbanism

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

In VA, the state maintains all local roads. Previously streets were *only* required to meet technical standards to be accepted into the state system.

Under the new policy, new standards were developed before roads are accepted into the system to ensure:

- Connectivity of road and pedestrian networks with the future and existing transportation network

- Minimize impervious surface area and stormwater runoff through reduced street widths . . .

Recent study by University of Virginia found that traffic fatality rates were significantly higher in localities with disconnected networks - 9% to 333% higher . . .

Disconnected, wide local streets encourage vehicle speeds that result in more accidents and more severe accidents . . .

New policy is intended to improve coordination between transportation and land use planning

Link: 

Virginia's Street Connectivity Policy--an overview | Congress for New Urbanism

MoBikeFed comment: The issue of connectivity is an important one for bicycle and pedestrian access. Virginia is a leader in this area for adopted such a thoroughgoing statewide policy.