They tend to become small communities, with neighbors forging stronger bonds than in many neighborhoods. A downside can be the lack of on-street parking. If a family goes on vacation, someone else is likely to mow their lawn while they're gone and bring in the newspaper for them. The decreased traffic on these streets is especially appealing to families with young children, said Char Canobi, a sales agent with John L. Scott Real Estate. A lot of younger families request them.
Children tend to play more in the street than in the back yard.
We wanted to borrow some. As housing density increases and traffic becomes heavier, a major concern for many municipalities is keeping the flow of traffic open. Ron Papsdorf, Gresham's lead transportation planner, said city officials are working with developers on other solutions to slowing traffic through neighborhoods. One idea is to build skinnier streets, which tend to make drivers slow down. That way homeowners can walk or ride their bicycles to friends throughout the neighborhood.