Residential Streets
DEFINITION
These are streets in residential areas that will never have bus services through, but that serve up to 50 dwellings. Vehicles will only circulate here to access those residences, and they must do so at low speed, ensuring the streets are pedestrian-friendly and not dominated by cars but that service and emergency vehicles can access safely to all parts of the development.
DIMENSIONS - 8.8m wide
These type of streets have two lanes and a total vehicular width of 4.8m with 2m wide adopted footways on both sides.
A common design error is to exaggerate the radii required at junctions, turns and parking access points. The road and parking dimensions Nottingham City Council works with already consider vehicle maneuvering so there is no need to have wasted strips of land to accommodate large curves; this is a much more efficient and pedestrian friendly way to design.
Nottingham City Council favours loops rather than turning heads. When these are unavoidable, they can be designed as part of an existing road feature, such as access to a private drive or car park. Dedicating a large space to accommodate a turning head is not efficient and results in car dominated environments.
This is a good tree-lined Residential Street with an adopted footway on the south, adjacent to the carriageway, and a second footway under a maintenance agreement adjacent to the verge. The highways authority would only adopt the carriageway and south footway.