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Street Network
SUSTAINABILITY & URBAN DESIGNbeginner
Definition
The system of streets, lanes, and paths that structure a city or district. The pattern of the network — grid, radial, organic — shapes movement, development patterns, and urban character. Highly connected networks with short blocks encourage walking; cul-de-sac layouts increase car dependence.
Example
The grid plan of Manhattan, codified in the 1811 Commissioners' Plan, has proven remarkably adaptable over 200 years — supporting everything from 19th-century brownstones to 21st-century supertall skyscrapers.